2002 FORD Escape

Back window of Ford Escape just exploded parked in my driveway.

I had a spark plug ejected from my engine as I was returning home from a vacation trip. I had no warning signs, until the engine light came on, and the engine started “rattling”. On getting it repaired, it was discovered that a 2nd spark plug was working itself out of the engine. I had to have 2 Helocoil Kits to repair.

My son died in a single car accident on march 1st. of this month while he was on his way to work and left road way at a very high rate of speed in a 45 mile per hour curve, hit a guard rail and launched his car into 2 trees which took the whole top of the car off their is no front end damage. the people that have seen the car have said their was no way he was going 45 miles an hour with the amount of damage.
The vehicle is in a secured inside storage building that my insurance company works with in Hartford City, IN. they had a firm do an inspection and the throttle cable was partially open and the cable had slack in it which would mean the cam was stuck open. We got pictures of the cable in that position after they moved the cam it returned to the closed position. I did get a recall and had my boy take it in on Jan. 7 to a dealer in Lafayette IN. they put 2 studs or bolts that was to raise the plastic cover off of the throttle control module so the cable would not touch the cover, they also did a previous recall for the ABS wiring harness while they had it.

The auto was parked in the driveway. My daughter turned key in ignition to start. Prior to starting, auto engine exploded with fire & smoke. The hood of the car contained the explosion. Daughter (luckily) exited auto unharmed and house did not catch on fire. The auto was towed to repair facility where they said manifold “had blown to pieces”. This car is well maintained and has all recalls serviced. I don’t care if a car has 94K miles on it, it shouldn’t explode like that.

Spark plug blew out of the head which broke the ignition coil housing. I tapped the spark plug hole in the head to accept a "heli-Coil" insert and reinstalled the spark plug. Also had to replace the coil to securly mount the ignition coil. Fix appears to be working… for now.

With no warning the automatic transmission on our Escape failed completely at 44,130 miles. So far, no financial assistance has been offered by Ford or the repairing dealer dispite attempts by me to get relief for the $2700 repair bill! We have had a loud noise coming from the drivetrain since about 18,000 miles and had it checked at 25,000 by our local Ford dealer. The dealer insisted that it was only tire noise…which while very sceptical, we accepted with the caveat that when we eventually replaced the tires, the noise would be gone our we expected the vehicle to be repaired at no charge. Since the transmission’s very premature failure, we have revisited the powertrain noise as we now suspect its source may have caused the transmission failure. Both front wheel bearings have been changed, the wheels and tires have been substituted and the very loud noise continues. Two Ford dealers have inspected the vehicle and no one yet has an idea of what the source of the noise is now! This truck is a true lemon and I think Ford should be stepping up to the plate to fix and pay for this problem as well as all or most of the transmission repair!!!!

Sticking accelerator pedal.

paint peeling away from primer,underneath and in front of hood

No previous problems with the car. We pulled into the garage and within 1 hour the car was on fire. Thick smoke entered the house through the garage. The cars engine was actually melted from the heat.The garage is a total loss. It has to be redone. The house had to be totally cleaned etc. Fortunately the garage was fire proof and the fire stayed within the garage. It could have been worse. We were lucky.

In January my brake light came on and took my car to my mechanic of 5years. He said it was the master cylinder and replaced it for 200.00. Within a months period I have had the cylinder replaced then had car taken to ford where they want to replace cylinder and brake booster for 700.00. In the mean time I have had to rent a car which got scratched which with payment for use of car and the scratch I am now up to 500.00 and I don\’t have my car and I am getting the cylinder for free from my mechanic but I will have to pay for brake booster.

In January 2002 I bought a new Ford Escape XLT. In May of that same year my wife leased a 2002 Escape XLT. In February of this year my Escape had 37,000 miles which is a normal amount of mileage for a car that is 37 months old. I could tell that the front brakes needed to be serviced so I took the car to a local repair shop that I have dealt with for years. They told me that not only did the pads need be replaced but that the rotors also could not be turned without bringing them below the minimum safety limit. Apparently the rotors that Ford installs on Escapes and some of their other models are throw aways at the time of the first brake service. I called the Ford dealership where I purchased the car and was told by the manager of the service department that this was true and that Ford doesn

I have a 2002 Ford Escape that at 43,000 miles should not be having a transmission problem. The car was just in the shop for a week due to a flashing “O/D off” signal. After an extensive review, I was told that it had a bad cylinoid. OK, had that replaced, took it home, and after approx. 50 miles of highway driving, the “O/D off” light is flashing AGAIN. Now the next step, as I was told, is to do a transmission overhaul. More big bucks!!! My question is: Immediately prior to this problem, I finally had a recall done for an acceleration cable or vehicle speed control malfunction. Could these be related in any way???

Excessive Fron Rotor Wear: The dealer examined the rotors and said the wear was normal, even though the measurements he gave me show the rotors are 70% worn. He agrees that they should be completely worn out before 50,000 miles and still considers this to be normal.

Engine spun a crank bearing with 36665 miles on it, (only 665 miles over the factory warranty), basically ruining the engine. The dealership tore down the engine to find the problem and found the bearing shelled, along with other bearings going out of the engine. It is my belief that the engine failed prematurely do to faulty craftsmanship, (misaligned crank shaft). Lucky for ford, it made it past the factory warranty, but it was actually bad thoughout the warranty period.

computer controls locked down the car. The dealer said that the computer was resetting when it done this and there was nothing they could do. The Windshield is separating from the car and the dealer will not cover this as a defect because my car is the only one they know of.

1. Engine revs unexpectently and idles roughly. Reprogramed computer chip–ford recall.2. Engine has exhaust leak. Replaced exhaust manifold. Two weeks awaiting part with no vehical loaned by dealer.3. Internal failure of the automatic transmission 3000 miles after 65000 mile checkup that included transmission system flush.4. Right mirror will not stay adjusted. Remote motor controls do not work. Not yet repaired.5. Accelerator binds and sticks–ford recall 04S25

Escape was parked in un-attached garage , last driven 24 hr previously, overhead door closed and car locked. Had another car partially in adjacent bay with overhead door open. Neighbor contacted me that garage was on fire. (this was yesterday, July 17, 2010 at about 1:30 PM. Fire Dept saved car in adjacent bay, but Escape was totaled, and garage & contents damaged.

"recall campaign" - recall notice received for 2002 ford escape in reference to the accelerator cable.*mr the consumer received recall notice jan. 2005. the consumer called the deal in march to have the recall work done. the dealer informed the consumer that it was too late to get the repair. they stated if the vehicle was brought in jan or feb they would have done it. the repair were made at another dealer. *bf *nm

Complaint regarding 2002 ford escape.*mr the vehicle would hesitate, skip and cut off while driving 40 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they replaced a part which the manufacturer indicated was the latest fix for the problem. the part did not repair the problem and the vehicle continued to hesitate e, skip and stall. *nm

Ford escape engines may stall at certain speeds.*mr the consumer's vehicle has stalled three times in the last two years. the consumer contacted the manufacturer about recall related to stalling. the manufacturer explained to the consumer that her vehicle was not included in the recall. *nm

Air bag trouble light began blinking after turning the engine on one morning. a series of blinking......6 times, 4 times, 6 times, 4 times and then remained on. only went off when turning engine off. local repair shop said only dealer could handle this. dealer quoted price to just investigate. and that it would depend on what they found if the quote would be applied to the total repair cost. hmmm. dealer also said that most likely while the warning light is on that the airbags will not deploy in the event of a collision. i have seen the number of complaints here at this website and elsewhere and merely want to add mine to the growing list. the more we complain maybe we'll get some results. thanks. *tr

Air bag light started blinking when i started vehicle blinked for about 30 sec then went solid, took escape to ford dealer and the got a code from the air bag system and informed me i had faulty wiring on the seat belt connector and there was a replacement wiring harness i needed to install . told then to order it and was informed that air bags were functioning ok even though light was still on. the said i just missed the warranty by 4 days so i had to pay the $200.00 for parts and labor. you would think ford would give a little leeway since this is a faulty part first installed on production line. please advice ford of this thank you. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. after picking up her vehicle from being serviced, the air bag light began blinking intermittently while driving 50 mph. a few minutes later, the air bag light stopped blinking and remained lit each time the vehicle made a turn. she took the vehicle back to the dealer and they informed her that the connector harness needed replacing. the vin, engine size, and number of cylinders were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 76,000.

(1) airbag light came on (2) cables defective - airbags will not deploy during crash (3) cables replaced - $450 total *tr

Air bag warning light on intermittently on dashboard. started in 6/03, taken to dealer 5 times and still not repaired. i am resigned to having an inoperative airbag.*ak

I have had many problems with the airbag light coming on and off randomly in my 2002 ford escape & have read on the internet that other people are experiencing the same problem. i have taken my vehicle to the dealership for the 2nd time and they replaced the airbag pretensioner, as it had gone bad. i was advised that if the light were on, the airbag would not deploy. i do not believe this is a "wear-and-tear" part and ford needs to look into the situation to make sure a recall is not needed.*jb

Airbag light is on and airbags not working. according to complaints found on the internet and in chat rooms and with ford issuing diagnostic trouble codes this is a long term ongoing problem which the dealership has difficulty fixing. so i am at risk of injury or death because ford made a faulty airbag system. please investigate and issue a recall. *jb

2002 frod escape seat belt tensioner failure causes failure of the air bag safety restraint system. seat belt tensioners (both at once!) failed, part numbers 1l8z78610e22aaa and 1l8z78610e23aaa.

Airbag/restraint system warning lamp is on. initially, it flashed for about 30 seconds, then remained on. vehicle has been to ford dealer for this condition on four previous occasions. previously diagnosed to be a problem with the sensor in the passenger seat and reportedly repaired, but the problem returns in 3 to 9 months. unknown whether airbag and restraint system would properly deploy in a collision.*jb

Restraint system - airbag sensor light continually on, potential failure of airbag system would not deploy in a crash

While driving srs light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. consumer pressed down the horn and it failed. consumer took vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic informed consumer that this vehicle was not on recall. *ak

We have had the vehicle in for repair 4 times for the air bag light. it keeps coming on and won't shut off. this vehicle is just a year old. the dealer repair center can't seem to get the problem repaired

My name is [xxx], i purchased a ford escape suv on august 22, 2002 from day ford in pittsburgh, pa on august 22, 2002. i have been have many problems with my vehicle since i purchased it. prior to moving to florida in june, i had the car serviced again and was told i need new rotors, brakes and tires.i moved to florida, and on january 2005, i had to replace the clutch because it had rust and corrosion on it. the service tech question all the rust under the vehicle and i told him that i did not know why there was so much. n march 18th, i was in a car accident and my front end was damaged. i had the car taken to matthew currie ford, where they service my car. i picked up the car on april 20, 2005 and was still having problems with it. i thought it was from the accident. i was told on april 21, 2005 that i need new spark plugs. i told them that i was not paying for it and that they need to call aig. on april 22, 2005 the service manager called me to tell me that my car had water damage and that it was purchased this way. i then got a rental car and i called dayford to see what they had to say and how they were going to fix the problem. at first i was told that they did not sell me a car with water damage. then he said he would call me back. well i have not heard anything from them. over the weekend i found out that my car was purchased from kansas city on july 20, 2002 and then serviced on july 27, 2002 by dayford. the services were engine serviced, vehicle serviced, suspension system serviced, brakes serviced, state inspection completed, miscellaneous service performed, emissions system serviced and lubed oil and filter changed. these services were completed with only 3 miles on the car. i pulled the information from carfax and that what it says. *ak information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving approximately 45 mph, the driver lost control of the vehicle without warning. the vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the subframe separated and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vehicle was previously repaired per nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure); however, the remedy failed to prevent the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

I had a recall (#14s02) which is a corrosion related separation of the attachment of the lower control arm from the subframe. when i took my car in for service what they did was put a crossbar across the lower control arm subframe instead of replacing the whole lower control arm subframe. this action does not fix the problem the problem still occurs. i would like for them to replace the lower control arm.

My vehicle does the exact same thing as nhtsa recall number 04v165000 or ford recall no. 04s13. i have the year and engine associated with the recall but my vin is not on the list. it should be because it is very dangerous!

Sub frame cracked, corrosion. ford is refusing to fix the sub frame instead they issue a safety recall 14s02 which does not replace the damage part. almost had accident with child on board, car went side ways, steering control was lost. how can ford be allowed to issue a safety recall but it doesn't fix the bad part. recall 14s02 only installs a metal bar so the wheel doesn't come off. once subframe is already broken ford doesn't do the repair. people life matter.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated. the contact did not take the vehicle to the dealer. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in a recall. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

Ford escape brake booster

3 of doors will not open,since 2010,a recall was issue but ford insists not my truck due to the vin number i know this truck is 15years old it has majority of the problem that has been made public i personally paid for repairs not knowing but despite engine,transmission,doors,and current recall subframe my complaint is deaf,doors are permanently damage.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. when the vehicle was started, the rpm indicator went all the up and the vehicle spontaneously accelerated. the contact tapped on the accelerator pedal and the rpms went down. while driving approximately 40 to 50 mph, the vehicle accelerated on its own. the vehicle was not diagnosed by the dealer. the vehicle displayed the failure since november of 2016. the approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the wife was driving approximately at 30 mph and after driving over a bump, the steering wheel became very loose and unstable. upon inspection, it was discovered that the lower a-arm suspension had fractured do to severe rusting and corrosion. the cause of the failure was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified and the contact was informed that the vin was not included in the nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (suspension). the contact stated that vehicle had experienced the same failure listed in the recall. the failure mileage was 170,000.

The 2002 ford escape had recall 14s02 done in sept. 2016. at the time i requested the sub frame be replaced. ford indicated the rust was not severe enough and installed a brace. today, the sub frame gave way rendering the vehicle a peril to drive. the steering is inoperative. the vehicle was in motion but avoided collision.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while stationary, the vehicle would not accelerate forward. the contact stated that upon depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle would not accelerate forward. the vehicle was pushed manually, in the neutral position, to an unknown place of business. furthermore, the contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal there was a squealing and cracking noise. the wheel bearing and struts were faulty on the vehicle as stated by the contact. the steering wheel made a loud squeaking noise when turned left or right while driving various speeds in addition to the vehicle frame becoming severely rusted underneath. the dealer was not contacted about the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

Driving on a 45 mi/hr road i hit a minor bump (approx 1" raised road across all lanes) due to poor road maintenance. after hitting this bump there was a loud popping noise every time i turned the wheel fully left or right. i could also feel this in my feet underneath the car. i was concerned and had plans to drive it to the auto shop later that day. when turning left out of a parking lot in town, heading to the shop, i noticed when i went to straighten out the wheel the steering wheel was a complete 90 degrees off from normal once i got the vehicle going straight. it did not feel safe to drive and i had it towed into the auto shop. after inspection it was found to be a rotted out and cracked sub frame. ford did a recall on this specific part in 2014 due to major corrosion issues with the 2001-2004 models. this vehicle was taken in for the recall, however, instead of replacing the part they decided it was good enough to drill a hole in the corroded part and install a bracket across the whole sub frame. i don't see how weakening a corroded part with a hole being drilled in it is any solution. i am not alone thinking this is a major issue that ford is completely ignoring. if the sub frame had failed when i was on the highway instead of exiting the parking lot i could have potentially been seriously injured as the sub frame holds the wheel and steering mechanism together. ford needs to take this issue with their vehicles seriously as they are putting peoples lives in danger.

Vehicle idles fast in park and accelerates quickly while driving and remains in high constant acceleration mode. bucks forward without warning, causing potential vehicle impact while behind stopped traffic, parking or trailing other vehicles.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving 40 mph, the lower control arm separated from the engine cradle and caused the alignment of the steering wheel to malfunction. this made the vehicle extremely difficult to steer and almost caused a crash. in addition, the steering wheel became stuck in the left alignment position. the vehicle was taken to be repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was 150,000.

Passenger front lower control arm separation from frame due to corrosion. resulted in loss of control of steering and loss of control of vehicle. happened when driving on city street while turning. cv boot cover also damaged by control arm failure. aaa states there is a lower control arm corrosion recall, nhtsa campaign number 14v165000. ford dealer states there is no recall. car has been registered in state of ohio.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving 10 mph, the contact heard something fracture under the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was confirmed that the reinforcement cross-brace failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vehicle was serviced per nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure), but the remedy failed to repair the vehicle. the contact mentioned that the cross-brace was not a sufficient repair for the control arm corrosion. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 102,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while attempting to have new control arms placed on the vehicle, the contact was informed by the service technician that the subframe of the vehicle was rusted and needed to be repaired before the control arms could be installed. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 85,900. the vin was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the frame of the vehicle was rusted. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was approximately 184,000. updated 10/13/16*lj *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that exhaust fumes entered the cabin of the vehicle. when the heater and air conditioner were activated, the amount of exhaust fumes increased. the contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who was unable to identify the cause of the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 250,000.

Takata recall right front lower control arm separated from subframe. in motion,on the highway while going straight . steering wheel 90 deg.from center right front wheel 2in. out of toe.pulled to the right when this happened .did not have an accident. ford motor co. does not want to take responsibility for this problem.

Front subframe rusted into. mechanic says it's not safe to drive.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated the vehicle failed to start. the brake warning light was illuminated. the contact noticed that there was water in the fuse box. the contact called friendly ford (2800 n telegraph rd, monroe, mi 48162, (734) 243-6000) however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 195,002.

Tl* the contact owned a 2002 ford escape. after the vehicle was parked, the driver smelled a burning odor. the contact noticed black smoke coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle exploded. the fire department extinguished the flames. the fire department assessed that the wiring harness was defective and caused the fire. the contact stated that the fire damaged the garage and the sidewalk concrete. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign number: 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic) as a possible reason for the failure; however, the vin was not provided there were no injuries and a police report was not filed. the failure mileage was approximately 150,000. the vin was not provided. updated 04/12/17lj *cn

Sub frame/cradle rusted and caused a separation of the right front axel and stabilizer. the failure occurred while driving, just as we were exiting the highway. a loud thud occurred and the steering wheel shifted making driving and steering extremely difficult. this vehicle, according to ford's records, had a structure recall for the same issue (14v165000) the vehicle had been repaired at a ford dealer for the said recall a few years ago. ford is unwilling to help pay for the current repairs as we did not take it to a dealer for repair (which would have required towing as the car was barely drivable). this is a potentially dangerous situation and, it seems, the recall did not correct the original problem. *tr

Ford dealership is refusing to fix uncarriage and control arm. they are saying there is no recall for it. however i found the recall 14s02. describing the issue the dealership stated is wrong with my truck. but they want me to pay cash instead of them fixing the issue

Vehicle was in motion on the highway when heard a loud bang when hitting a bump. steering became almost impossible but was able to safely get off the highway and to a shop. upon inspection, the sub-frame on the passenger side had broken and was hanging 6 inches lower than it should. upon calling ford, i was told the vehicle had already been serviced for the recall for the rotting, witch i questioned and got non answers and was told they could do nothing for me, even though there was a recall on the sub-frame for the exact issue i am currently experiancing.

Gears is hard to shift to the right gear and lights went out early like a drain in electrical and my stearing is becoming hard to turn on streets and out my drive way

When i drive, there is a loud almost like grinding noise. it started making that noise, four days after i bought it. as soon as i heard the noise, i immediately pulled off the road, called and had a flatbed come pick my vehicle up too take it back home. iv replaced the front driver side cv axle. i took it on a short ride. it still makes that news. i’ve been trying too find any information i can, see if can figure out what’s going on. i’m having no luck.

Breaks make scrap sound like metal grinding and it’s hard to break i almost have to push the breaks all the way down and you feel it in the peddle if you drive around 40 mph and go to put on the breaks the scraping sound happens and sometimes the peddle try’s to lock up. *tr

Tl* the contact owns 2002 ford escape. the contact stated while reversing of the parking lot, the passenger’s side wheel turned into the wheel well. the contact turned off the vehicle after hearing an abnormal noise. the contact stated no warning light was illuminated. the vehicle was towed to contact residence. the contact stated that the failure was related to nhtsa campaign number 14v165000 (structure). the vehicle was towed to ford country (280 n gibson rd, henderson, nv 89014) where it was diagnosed and it was stated that the parts to fix the vehicle was the same parts of the recall. the dealer stated that due to the mileage and age of recall the repair was declined. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was informed of failure. the failure mileage was approximately 215,158.

My car jerks, and swerves because of the lower control arm on the drivers side. it and the subralframe are messed up. it will cost me too much money to fix and no one wants to touch it. i dont want to sell it to anyone be cause of the safety of the vehicle. it jerks at low speeds and gets worse at high speeds.

I had just purchased used a 2002 ford escape nov 27 2019 deciding to take the kids and go to grocery store that i did but on the way home the vehicles steering locked up when i realised it i mashed the brakes they wouldnt work so i slamed it in park there were no dash warning lights it lost all power we skirted to side sliding but safe the suv cranked right back up as nothing happend but cut off a couple more times but i was at a stop sign the last two times and it cranked up no problem every time i havent looked at the veh but theres was a vibration after that dont know if it broke something in motor or not

On 12/20/2013 i had the lower control arms replaced, and had to pay 1,279.79. in april 2014 you announced a recall for this same item. for some treason you excluded my car. considering my car required the exact item replaced only 4 months prior, i am requesting to be reimbursed for the cost of that repair. also a complaint i have is the warning light for the airbag will not go out. a defect that does not seem repairable. in light of the airbag recall i am concerned i am sitting in front of a loaded gun. i will keep this complaint where my family can find it and respond accordingly if something happens to me after you have been notified of this complaint

While in motion, the lower control arm separated from the subframe due to corrosion. i lost steering but was able to skid to the shoulder. the same issue as recall 14s02 but my vehicle was not included.

My vehicle will randomly lock up and when i start it and try to move it into drive or reverse from park. and when i try to turn off my vehicle so that i can restart it my vehicle won’t evem attempt to turn over or start but my electrical will still work just fine

Frame rusted out. ford has taken over 2 weeks to attempt to fix. i'm having to rely on friends and family for a ride. no communication within dealer and customer

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that on four separate occasions, the front driver's side lower control arm loosened and needed to be torqued to the manufacturer's specifications. the contact stated that the vehicle was repaired several years ago per nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure); however, the failure recurred. the contact stated that the vehicle failed a state inspection due to the failure listed in the recall. the dealer was not contacted; however, the manufacturer was informed of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 234,074.

The mounts that the engine sits on rusted away, causing the engine to drop onto the steering system while driving.

It's difficult to steer or keep straight

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving various speeds, a knocking sound was heard coming from the front of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to liberty mazda (91 west service rd, hartford, ct) where it was diagnosed that the lower control arm was rusted, corroded, and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 103,000. the vin was unknown.

On 2002 ford escape xlt, while driving car in reverse gear backing out of garage down hill and turning on road also with steep down hill, transmission shifter cable detached from transmission. could not get car out of reverse gear. this caused a very dangerous situation as car rolled backwards down hill out of control when engine shut off. used emergency brake to stop car and blocked wheels with rocks to diagnose. bushing on shifter cable end closest to transmission disentegrated and shifter cable slipped off link to transmission such that the column shift was detached from transmission. had no prior warnings to inspect this. found through research that ford had issued recall number 18s20 for ford escape model years 2013-2014 for exact same issue on july 18, 2018. called ford customer service. ford refused to acknowledge this issue for model year 2002. temporarily fixed issue to continue driving car. very dangerous situation. i am no expert, but someone with less expertise than me could be in a lot of trouble as this can happen on a hill where the car can roll out of control. recommend ford add this model year to recall list or at least issue warning to owners to inspect shifter cable bushing. difficult to get photo since transmission cable buried down in engine compartment, but could attempt upon request.

Fuel gas tank straps rotted out causing the fuel tank to fall

Ford excursion v10 aluminum head complaint spark plug blew out of head. this happened while driving across country to visit my son, no warning just blew completely out of head and left me stranded along the roadside. this problem which ford is aware is not being fixed or recalled, truck just turned 100,000 miles but if one spark plug blew when will the others let go and exploded out of the head and leave me stranded again along a busy highway route 70 in a state which i have never been in before at 5 am in the morning, without a knew head design this makes this vehicle very unreliable and not safe to drive , its like driving a time bomb just waiting for the next plug to blow, vehicle was 40,000 dollars in 2002 who has money to purchase another vehicle which is now almost 60,000 ford should be required to make replacement heads for all triton engines

The gears will not shift into drive only 2nd and 1st and reverse heard a clank and sounded like a screw or some sort dropped but cannot find it. the vehicle was parked i went to put it in drive and that's when it occurred

Bought this car and 2 miles down road check engine, abs, and the brake as well as the over drive (only one flashing) came on. the car gear shift lever pops out of gear. the vehicle has a new tranny. the vehicle stalls, and is blowing tranny fluid. it has had the compute replacee on a recall. every issue i have found relates to recalls, yet fore told me nope zero recalls on this even after i showed him proof of a recall on the engine itself. so recalls; 07v156000, 15v606000, 12v005000, and 04v165000 somehow do not apply? so i have to crash before ford willl even look at the car. it pops out of gear! clearly an abs malfunction or not? all hazards.

Had a recall for the lower control arm on may 30 2014 and today had to replace the same part and ford isn’t recognizing it as a problem , the part is $2000 and vechicle is still worth more than that amount and i had to buy the part and pay for the installation and ford refuse to claim responsibility for it : the recalled part failed not satisfying the recall only lasted 4 years , causing the cecile not to pass state inspection

My vehicle idles to 4000rpm and control the speed by itself, there is a leak in the back break area the steering wheel locks where i can’t put it in any gear sometimes and getting worse. had to get it towed home last night because while driving it idled high and as i brake it barely stopped and when releasing break it speeds up to 50 or more mph and i had to keep my feet on the break..i pulled over and turned the switch off and waited a while and turned back on and it idled to 4000 rpm again. could not shift the gear from park and break pedal was hard. when arriving home to back car in driveway towe guy had no problem with idle. the following morning cranked and was at 1000rpm at first start. also ac pressure. car runs hot but no smoke water bubbles in coolant reservoir. my check engine light never gave warning of any of the problems listed.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic to be serviced. while the mechanic was test driving the vehicle at approximately 35 mph, an abnormal noise was heard coming from the front of the vehicle. the contact stated that the front passenger side lower control arm fractured, which caused the wheel to separate from the suspension. prior to the test drive, the contact was informed by the mechanic of severe rust on the lower control arm. the vehicle was towed back to the facility. the vehicle was not repaired. the dealer (elkhorn motors ford, 910 n wisconsin st, elkhorn, wi 53121, (262) 723-2131) was contacted and a subsequent vin search showed that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 106,000. the consumer stated the gas tank straps were also corroded and needed to be replaced.*js

Rusted subframe- while getting an oil change i was told that the subframe was so rusted that the vehicle could not be placed on a lift. the mechanic said it was the worst he had ever seen and the car was unsafe to drive

As shown in attached picture my coolant container is burning as if it is trying to catch fire. as also seen the coolant level is back at max but at one point was low. concern is 🔥 safety. i was driving down the highway when i first smelt burning i did stop driving and it made it more intense. no actual fire took place but inside container it appears to have had a small fire or burn as shown by image.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for exhaust repairs, the technician noticed that the engine cradle and the lower part of the engine frame were corroded and needed to be replaced. the contact called suburban ford of sterling heights at (586) 268-7500 (40333 van dyke, sterling heights, mi 48313) and was informed that the vin was not included in a recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

Cross member bar rusted out. please see attached.

My vehicle should be covered under ford recall 14s02. sub frame completely rusted through while driving endangering my family's safety. illinois, "salt state". currently at ford dealership unsafe to drive.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the frame of the vehicle was completely rusted. while driving various speeds, the vehicle shook violently. the vehicle was taken to brian bemis ford (1380 dekalb ave, sycamore, il 60178, (815) 895-4584) to be diagnosed and they refused to release the vehicle back to the contact due to the dangerous condition of the rusted frame. the dealer stated that they would not charge the contact a storage fee. the contact purchased the vehicle in march of 2018. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 125,000. *tt*jb

Tl* the contact owned a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle caught fire while parked in her driveway. the fire department extinguished the fire and filed a report. the fire department stated that the master brake cylinder and the cruise control cables were melted. the vehicle was deemed a total loss, but was not towed from the contact’s residence. the dealer (lithia ford of missoula, 3943 brooks st, missoula, mt 59804) and the manufacturer were called and the contact was awaiting a call back. the contact stated that she had not received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic) and 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control). the failure mileage was 145,000. .*bf *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving 10 mph, the lower control arm fractured and the front driver side wheel separated from the vehicle. the contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired per nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not repaired. the contact was concerned that the recall remedy was not sufficient to prevent a failure. the dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 96,000. *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the liftgate failed to open. the vehicle was taken to the dealer (currie motors ford of valpo, 2052 w morthland dr., valparaiso, in 46385, (219) 464-3523), but the cause of the failure was not determined. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. the failure mileage was 88,000.

My engine coolant light stays on even after taking steps to fix it as it was a problem with the 2002 ford escapes, and there is a problem with my power steering as fluid and all that is fine, which i read was a recall also.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving 10 mph, the steering wheel shook without warning. the vehicle was towed to a local dealer (blackwell ford, 41001 plymouth rd, plymouth, mi) where it was diagnosed that the cross frame, lower control arm, and exhaust needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was approximately 185,000.

Tl* the contact owned a 2002 ford escape. after exiting the vehicle, there was a fire that erupted under the hood. the fire was extinguished by a fire company. the vehicle was destroyed and towed. the insurance company was to investigate the failure. the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign numbers: 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control) and 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic). the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was not available. parts distribution disconnect. *tt *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving, an odor of fuel emitted into the vehicle and it stalled without warning, the contact also stated that the hazard lights failed to function. the vehicle was taken to wayne ekers ford (2000 10th ave n, lake worth, fl 33461, phone number: (800) 749-8875) and was informed that the vehicle could not be serviced because the fuel leak was a safety concern for the workers. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the approximate failure mileage was 108,325.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while attempting to accelerate from a traffic light, the steering failed without warning. the contact stated that the steering wheel went in one direction and the wheels went in a different direction. the vehicle was towed to reineke ford lincoln of lima (1360 greely chapel rd, lima, oh 45804, (419)223-3673) to be diagnosed. the contact was informed that the passenger side lower control arm support was severely rusted, which caused the lower control arm to fracture and separate from the vehicle. the contact was informed that the sub frame, cross member, control arm, and steering assembly needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the manufacturer was contacted and notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

Airbag light stays on and also i have a issue with the steering wheel and suspension there are other issues with the car and never was fixed by previous owner now im stuck with a car that has past recalled issues. if you own a car and just purchased it by previous owner make sure that recalls have been fixed on vehicle. now i dont know what to do with my vehicle.

I was driving my 2002 ford escape in northeastern ohio when i lost control of my vehicle. i had it towed to a local mechanic who told me the power control arm broke away from the subframe. as a woman i immediately looked it up because i did not know what that even was until i found a recall from ford that didn't mean crap for me but that ford won't pay for their mess of a vehicle! i'm just happy i didn't crash into a nearby car and when the truck broke down! driving down a city street approximately 35mph

The airbag light came on on the dashboard. it continues to stay on and beeps five times repeating five times. this occurs during start up of the vehicle, and it also occurs about 30 minutes after continuous driving.

When i run my ac or heater exhaust comes in cant use either not sure whats going on with car but i do know that my car has been recalled prior to me owning the vehicle in 2015 of august and do know that it has not been fixed. currently my car has 10 recalls and cant get my car fixed by ford

Air bag warning light continually illuminates; cable coupling under passenger seat does not complete the circuit which triggers the air bag warning light. this condition occurs in all weather and driving conditions.

Had recall 14s02 performed on 12/30/15. installed front subframe crossbrace.this does not fix the problem. passenger side subframe rusted out and failed. the crossbrace kept it from completely coming apart but car is now not safe to drive. ford will not do anything about this saying they already performed the recall. this recall should be expanded to include subframe replacement.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact's wife was stopped by the police because the brake lights were not illuminated. there was no warning indicator illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a local dealer who was unable to open the rear door in order to repair the brake lights. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 125,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact received a recall for the nhtsa campaign number: 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling, speed control) and the vehicle received the recall repair. the contact stated the vehicle never experienced any failures until after receiving the recall remedy. the contact stated that when attempting to accelerate the vehicle's throttle locks at high speeds and the acceleration pedal locks in the downward position. the contact stated that the brakes failed and in order to stop the vehicle's gear was moved to the park position. the contact informed the dealer and the manufacturer who stated that because the vehicle had already received the recall repair they would not be able to provide another repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 214,000.

Metal tray supporting the fuel tank has rusted. brackets supporting the tray have rusted and fallen off exposing the plastic fuel tank.

I bought the car in 2015, back passenger door would not open from inside or outside, about 2 months ago same thing as happened to the front passenger door. this is very dangerous, need it fixed.

My 2002 ford escape's back window just exploded parked in my driveway. temperature was mild in 70's. no rain.

Lost all coolant from radiator all at once when turned car off when came home from store because coolant light came on.. replaced thermostat first. that didn't work. put in new water pump, ran for about another week , than did same thing. so replaced radiator . mind you car never ran hot, coolant light just kept coming on.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer for nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure), but the remedy did not provide a permanent solution. upon further inspection, extensive rust and corrosion were found near the lower control arm to the point that the part could fracture. the failure mileage was not available.

Spark plug blew out of cylinder, cost me $455 in repairs. v6 3.0l 2002 ford escape.

Lf lower control arm failure - we brought our ford to a&ctire, atkinson, nh - 603-362-5213 for a state inspection - they told us this issue and the ford was not safe to drive - we authorized the work - we paid $250.85 parts & labor, they printed out recall # 14s02 recall to pursue getting reimbursed - we called ford and they denied any reimbursement.

Front sub frame is cracked and wheel is woobling.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while pulling out of the driveway, the passenger side control arm suddenly separated from the subframe. while inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that the failure occurred due to rusting of the subframe. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure), although the vehicle experienced the same failure listed in the recall. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 160,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the vehicle was repaired according to nhtsa campaign number: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic); however, the repair did not remedy the condition. the contact had not experienced any failures prior to the recall repair. the contact noticed excessive smoke under the hood and the cap leaked brake fluid, which impacted the power steering pump and caused a short within the wires and the abs. the manufacturer was notified of the failures and stated that the vehicle would need to be towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing and repair. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 169,000.

Tl* the contact owned a 2002 ford escape. while driving approximately 5 mph and attempting to make a left turn, another vehicle struck the front end of the contact's vehicle. the contact's vehicle spun around and struck the other vehicle again. the air bags failed to deploy. the contact received chest injuries that needed medical attention. a police report was filed. the vehicle was destroyed and towed. the approximate failure mileage was 177,000. the vin was invalid. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.

Started my car and the rpm going to 4000 when car is in park. was told its throttle body.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while the vehicle was stopped and waiting for a train to cross the tracks, the contact attempted to place the vehicle back in gear but the vehicle would not shift out of the park position. an independent mechanic was contacted and arrived at the scene. the independent mechanic diagnosed that the shift lever had disengaged from the transmission and would need to be bolted back into place. the vehicle was not repaired. the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 15v606000 (power train). the contact also stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would experience unexpected acceleration and was difficult to slow down. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control). the manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. the failure mileage was 132,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while making a turn at approximately 2 mph, an abnormal sound emitted from the vehicle as the contact lost control of the vehicle. the contact mentioned that after exiting the vehicle, he discovered that the front lower control arm and the sub frame had excessive rust and was fractured. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the approximate failure mileage was 177,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure) at 80,707 miles. while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle failed to accurately respond to the steering wheel. the vehicle was driven back to the contact's residence where it was discovered that the lower control arm became detached from the vehicle and the front passenger wheel was turned outward. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vin was unknown. the approximate failure mileage was 84,000.

There is a recall on my car. 14s02. i had it towed to fuller ford in cinti, ohio. when the recall broke in my car, rusted through frame. it caused other damage to my car. i need a passenger side axle, lower control arm, and a sway bar link. ford will not cover these damages even though the recall caused the damage. just thank goodness i had just gotten off the highway and was coming to a stop or i could have been killed. i dont believe ford is taking care of their issue. a frame should not rust through

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the sub frame had failed due to rust and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 150,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while shifting gears from drive to park, the vehicle rolled backwards without warning. the contact was able to stop the vehicle by engaging the hand brake. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the shift gear stick disengaged from the transmission and the shift lever assembly needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 15v606000 (power train). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vin was invalid. the approximate failure mileage was 230,000. updated 04/13/16*lj the repair shop replaced the shift cable. updated 04/20/16.*jb

I bought my 2002 ford escape in feb. 2015. since then often when i put it in park it revs, the rpms range from 1500-3000. i read that a recall was declared in december of 2004. my car idles at a high range.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact heard an abnormal noise upon making a turn. the steering wheel turned, but the wheels remained straight when the failure occurred. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure), but the failure recurred. the contact stated that the technician installed two brackets but not the engine mount brackets. the contact felt that the recall remedy was not performed accurately. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 228,000. *tr

I was making a ride an maple road when all of a sudden i hear a sort of popping noise almost like a flat tire. thats what i thought it was so i kept drive to where i live.on the way home all i heard was a screeching. when i got home home i check and the suspension had snapped because of rusting

I bought my car on sept 28, 2015. the airbag light came on about 2 weeks ago. at first it would come on when i start the car and shut off. now it blinks then stays on. i am worried that if i get into an accident my airbags will not deploy. i have read a lot of reviews about this and it seems to be a very big issue. i have searched this website with my vin # and there are no recall. i bought this as a family car but now i am in fear of putting my children in it.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while parked, the vehicle caught fire. the details of the fire were not available. the contact mentioned that the abs warning light illuminated intermittently. the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign numbers: 14v165000 (structure), 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control), and 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic). the contact stated that there was an abnormal noise coming from the front of the vehicle and the suspension was unstable in the front. while parked, the vehicle caught fire on a second occasion. the fire department had to cut the hood open and inspected that the master cylinder was on fire. a police report was not filed. the vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was awaiting diagnostic testing. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 151,703.

My car jerks when driving very badly hed many repairs done to no avail 118,000 miles have a disabled husband car is unrieabledriving on highway and local streets to get home.

The front passenger door locking system is defective and is stuck in the lock position. unable to open door from the outside or the inside of the car. this is a safety issue that should have been addressed in the past since i noticed numerous complaints regarding this same problem on the internet or your nhtsa website. the ford dealer service manager also mentioned to me that this is a recurring problem that should have been addressed in the past by ford. service fee is $500 if the repairman is able to open the door without breaking it as sometimes it does break causing an even more expensive repair. this is an expensive repair job for a jammed locking mechanism that should easily be working properly. god forbid i am involved in a car accident and my wife, other front passenger or myself is unable to open the door in case of an emergency. this is a major inconvenience as any passenger that wants to sit in the front has to leap through the driver door to sit in the front. my wife is the original owner of this car and it currently has 130,000 miles. all car doors should be able to work without jamming as this obviously poses a safety issue. why nhtsa has never bothered to escalate this problem to a recall is beyond me when there are other ford escape owners with the same safety problem? please advice, thanks.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the cross bar reinforcement was installed; however, the failure recurred. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 66,946.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 10 mph, a loud knocking noise was heard and all steering capability was lost. in addition, the front passenger tire detached and the vehicle dragged to the side of the road. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who confirmed that the vin was not included on nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 130,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while making a left turn and pressing the accelerator pedal, the throttle became stuck and the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration. as a result, the vehicle crashed into a ditch. the driver sustained injuries to the left leg and left side after leaping from the vehicle. a police report was filed. while inspecting the vehicle, the police indicated that the throttle was stuck continued to rev after the crash. the cause of the failure was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 200,000.

The fuel tank mounting strap rusted through and began dragging on the highway sending up a shower of sparks. upon investigation, i found the metal shield around the tank disintegrated into rust flakes, and the shield where it passes over the driveshaft had fallen and was rubbing on the moving driveshaft. i recognised the problem and was able to secure the tank and shield temporarily to limp home, but the potential for disaster is catastrophic, especially here in the northeast where these parts are continually subject to salt and snow.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving approximately 25 mph, a strange noise was heard coming from the front of the vehicle before the steering wheel suddenly veered to the right. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the subframe fractured due to severe rusting and corrosion. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the contact was informed that the vehicle was previously serviced under the nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the failure mileage was 180,000. the vin was not available. ma 10/2 *cn

On july 18, 2015 at approximately 1:30 pm i was driving up bear creek mountain and heard a loud pop then the vehicle started sliding before i finally got it to stop. i slide about 50 feet and if i'd slide about 3 more feet i would have been over the side of the mountain. the sub frame had snapped in two and it pulled the right front axle out. this made the vehicle inoperable. the vehicle had to be put on a roll back and taken away.also damaged was the right front tire and ,molding around the fender. if i had been on the interstate with this vehicle my family would not have survived the wreck. it is lucky that we didn't go over the mountain. i did nothing to cause the sub frame to break and i think ford should be held liable. i spoke with the ford customer relations center and they told me that because there was no extended warranty and it was not under the 2002 escape recall and that the fact that there was no fire or large crash that they could do nothing about the sub frame breaking. my insurance carrier has also contacted ford customer relations and was told the same thing. i asked the lady at ford if someone had died in the wreck would i still be told the same thing and she replied yes. according to ford they can't give out telephone numbers to legal department or addresses or email addresses. i was also told that i could not speak to a supervisor because they could not transfer calls. i was transferred to the lady i was speaking to by another lady. go figure. i think that ford is liable for this structural failure and needs to make things right.

For the past year and a half the abs warning light has been illuminated. i took it to the ford dealership to have the latest recall fixed regarding the reservoir cap. ford couldn't get the abs warning light to turn off...so, hence the light still intermidantly comes on and off. also, the oil pressure light keeps coming on when i start my car and when i am slowing down. i just had my mechanic change the oil a week ago and and still having the problem. one last thing, the air bag illumination light has been on for the past two years. i took it to my dealer and they couldn't get it to turn off. am i safe in thinking that my air bag won't deploy just for the heck of it? not sure what to do? but it scares me.

The air bag readiness system on the car is troubling. the red light indicator on the dash either flashes, or remains on. the manual says the system should be serviced immediately. i called a local ford dealer in my town and they say they won't pay for it. have there been problems with this vehicle make/model/ year? since it is a serious safety issue, wouldn't the manufacturer be required to fix it?

Driving about 25mph hear a loud clunck lost controll of vehicle break pedle to the floor truck still moving had to use er brake to stop. got out passanger front tire was turned completly diff way, the ball bearer was detached, this could have killed me if i was on freeway! called ford they continued to tell me this wasnt part of recall called mehcanic said the subframe so rusted it has completly detached from ball bearers causing tire to basically fall off. ford will not fix it, gave me every other alternitive on what it could be. i had it towed to my house, ford wont have it towed to the lot to look at it and on top of that wont see it for a week if i do get it towed up there! what a mess. ill never shop with them again. they wont care until this kills someone.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving approximately 25 mph, the wheel bearing completely detached from the vehicle, which resulted in the wheel detaching from the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. an independent mechanic diagnosed that corrosion from the subframe caused the wheel bearing to detach and it needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 190,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving at 30 mph, the vehicle jerked and the contact heard a noise coming from the steering wheel and front of the vehicle. the check engine warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a dealer multiple times. the technician was unable to diagnose the failure and repair the vehicle. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 100,000. updated 7/16/15*cn

2002 ford escape. consumer writes in regards to vehicle unintended acceleration. *smd the consumer stated while sitting at a traffic light, the vehicle spontaneously accelerated, hitting the vehicle in front of hi, because his foot was on the brake, the crash was not as violent as it could have been. two of the passengers in the other vehicle went to the hospital with shoulder injuries. the consumers vehicle was declared totaled. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that there was extensive rust and corrosion on the underbody framing and the cross member. the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who installed a newly designed reinforcement; however, the frame and the cross member were rusted and not covered under the recall repairs. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 189,000. the vin was not available.

Received notice in mail my ford was recalled due to corrosion related separation of forward attachment of lower control arm from subframe. this was fix with just reinforced crossbar...an independent mechanic just recently check my veh due to steering and front end issue i have been having and discovered the area where the crossbar hold on to is rusted off..i can not drive vehicle...this rust they tell me was/or would have been notice of time cross bar was install and should have notified me that more work should have been done. perhaps correct/replace the whole thing...i would like to have it repaired at fords request,,,the dealership denied due to recall fixed according to ford. had i been aware if this rust issue at time of repair i would have been able to deal with it and not be at risk driving all these past months.... *tr

The accelerator cable appears to have gone out. the gas pedal goes directly to the floor and the engine is at 6rpm's. called ford and even though they had nearly 500k cars recalled during the exact year my car was built they will not claim responsibility for it. in the meantime my two children were hurt because they couldn't accelerator on to the highway and then had to shut off the car. fords solution was for me to take my car to their dealership and pay them to fix my vehicle, but to keep the receipts just in case they are "forced" to reimburse me for my costs. *tr

On 4/10/2014, i was driving the vehicle and noticed that when i let my foot off the gas pedal, the car showed no signs of slowing...as if i was still accelerating. i had to use the brake to make the car slow down. on 4/12/2015, i was pulling into the driveway and let my foot off the pedal to coast to the parking position, when it suddenly accelerated, and i almost hit our fence. there is definitely something wrong with the acceleration system. *tr

My 2002 ford escape has been to multiple dealer service centers and mechanics to try to pinpoint a banging noise that comes from the front right side when driving over bumps or potholes at lower speeds. to date i have had tie rods, sway bars, sway bar links, ball joints replaced and all body mounts, engine mounts, control arms, shocks and struts all checked and all nuts and bolts tightened. i have not been able to have a mechanic tell me what the issue is. i have searched the internet and see several complaints all for the same problem. i know my truck is not the only one, however i cannot afford to continue replacing parts in hopes that we might finally find the cause of the sound. i feel ford needs to take responsibility for whatever it is that is failing before someone ends up seriously injured. *tr

Vehicle was driven towards a crossing and the light was red. i tried to stop, but instead it accelerated on applying the brakes and t-boned a car on the crossing. the brakes on this car were serviced a few times in the past and the complete history is available at the dealer....updated 04/02/15 *bf

Tl* the contact owned a 2002 ford escape. the contact walked outside and discovered that the vehicle caught fire. the engine was not turned on and the key was not in the ignition switch at the time of the incident. the fire department was called to the scene to extinguish the flames. the vehicle was destroyed. the cause of the incident could not be determined. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 163,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle was recently serviced under nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the dealer was to install a newly designed reinforcement cross-brace for the unintended detachment of the lower control arm. a short time after the repair, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for another service, who noticed that the ball joint was separated from the control arm and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 152,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving at 25 mph, the vehicle stalled. in addition, the contact stated that the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to accelerate. in addition, the abs and the oil pressure warning lights illuminated. the over head light in the vehicle also independently illuminated. the vehicle was towed to a dealer. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 132,337.

Driving down a busy highway, our escape had the control arm detach from the sub frame. we took the car to the dealer and they told us this would not be covered under any recall by ford because it had completely separated. despite that the damaged area of the car being what is recalled in 14v165000. ford has done nothing to help this issue. lucky enough there was no accident, but this is a huge safety issue and someone is going to get killed. ford needs to fix the damaged sub frames, not just fix those that haven't already broke and consumers have had to pay thousands to get fixed. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving at 45 mph, the contact's vehicle crashed into another vehicle due to ice and gravel on the highway. the air bags did not deploy. the vehicle was destroyed. a police report was filed. the contact sustained a bruised head and fractured thumb that required medical attention. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 131,000. the vin was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic). while the vehicle was stopped at a red light, the brake pedal was depressed to the floor and the contact had to use the emergency brake to stop the vehicle. the abs and brake warning indicators illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the rear wheel sensor short circuited and needed to be repaired. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 209,000. updated 04/06/15*lj

I was driving my ford escape 2002 out of town, i noticed my car pulling away from me. i took my foot off the throttle and noticed the the car was accelerating. i knew a stop sign and a highway was up ahead, after blowing threw the stop sign only being able to slow the car down to 20 with the brakes, i pulled the e-brake and still did not stop, afraid and scared i put the car in park, the car then snapped and went into reverse and the only thing i could do was aim for a pole and hit it. i got out of the car and it was still going with the engine smoking, fearing of a fire i shut the engine down. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the control arm seized and the contact lost control of the vehicle. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the failure recurred on several occasions. the vehicle was taken to a dealer. the technician diagnosed that the cross member was faulty. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was unavailable.

Driving the vehicle down a residential street. applied the brakes, pedal went to the floor. car rolled to a stop with limited braking. placed into park and had passenger pump brakes. front passenger side brake hose adjacent to the caliper had ruptured. saw online that this is a common problem with 1st generation ford escapes. could have been serious in heavy traffic! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the brake pedal depressed to the floor and there was smoke emitting from the vehicle. the vehicle caught on fire which was extinguished by the contact. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the technician diagnosed that the abs electrical system had failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic). however, the contact did not receive the recall notice. the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle had surpassed the statue of limitations for the recall. the approximate failure mileage was 196,000.

While pulling out of a parking lot, i noticed the vehicle's steering seemed loose & there was a creaking noise from the front end. vehicle continued to pull to the right as i drove down the road, and creaking noise increased. i drove directly to dealer where i'd had the work for recall 14v165000 completed only 4 weeks prior (26 dec 2014), and their assessment was a cracked subframe. service writer informed me that the car was dangerous to drive, and the cost to repair would be a minimum of $2000 in parts and labor, plus the likelihood of additional repairs needed once they found other corroded parts in need of replacement. i declined the repair and purchased a new car (not a ford) instead. *tr

2002 ford escape. consumer writes in regards to excessive corrosion and large crack in the engine cradle/ subframe. *smd the consumer stated the steering went to the left approximately 15 degrees while driving straight down the road. the sent in recall notice # 14v165000. according to ford, the vehicle did not have complete separation of the lower control arm. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the cross-brace fractured. the contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 14v165000 (structure) but the recall remedy failed to repair the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic, who diagnosed that the sub frame and the control arm needed to be replaced. in addition, the mechanic advised that the vehicle could not be driven. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 111,000.

My complaint is about the master cylinder and the rear door latch. i called the ford dealer and complained about my master cylinder leaking, they told me that recall was already performed on my vehicle in 2012. i wanted to know why would my master cylinder be leaking again two years later? i wonder if this job was ever done. i don't feel that the customer should have to pay for a job that wasn't performed. my other complaint is my rear door latch. i went to the dealer and told them that i was having a problem with my rear door locking and opening. the service department told me i had to pay for this service. now i see there was a recall on the rear door latch but i was not informed about this recall nor did i receive a recall letter. i want to know how i go about having these services completed. *tr

Neighbor woke me saying my car was on fire. car wasn't on, the key was not in, and it had sat overnight. called fire department and fire put out. car is totaled because the firemen had to break into the engine compartment. engine area burned with nothing but metal visible and a melted battery. i have pictures. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while traveling 25 mph, the front lower control arm fractured and the wheel detached from the vehicle. after inspecting the vehicle, the contact indicated that there was rust on the front end of the lower control arm and the subframe. also, the subframe was rusted through on the front passenger side. the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop who replaced the front lower cross member and the front subframe. the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure: body). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 139,145. updated 01/23/15*lj

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the contact was able to restart the vehicle, but the failure recurred fifteen times. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was 128,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving approximately 10 mph on uneven pavement, the steering wheel suddenly turned approximately 45 degrees to the right. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the passenger side subframe was rusted and corroded, which caused the lower control arm to fail. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 100,900.

The cable connections for the passenger side front airbag is faulty causing the airbag sensor light to come on occasionally indicating that the connections are lose. this happens especially in cold weather. i did some research on this issue. this issue has been reported by many ford owners. the dealership wants to charge $300 to replace the cabling, but the issue is with a $30 connector under the seat. *tr

Vinyl door panel of front passenger door pealed off. *tr

My car is included in the recall for the rusted out subframe. it has at least 2 oblong rusted out holes near the control arm. it was taken to the dealer. they installed a cross brace. 3 different dealers told me the brace will hopefully, if i am lucky, help me pull over without crashing when (not if) the subframe gives away and the control arm falls off. two of the three literally told me, "good luck." i feel if ford realizes the issue is serious enough for a recall they should properly fix the problem. *tr

Fuel tank strap has corroded and broken and the fuel tank could fall out of the vehicle and result in a fuel spill and/or fire. there is also a rust hole in the fuel tank metal protective cover the size of my hand and the fuel cell is exposed. have notified ford and they declined to remedy the problem citing there is currently no recall. ford has also told me it is not safe for me to continue to drive the vehicle. i have taken photos of corroded parts which i will submit upon request to my email address which is : [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 04v165000 (power train). while driving in reverse, the vehicle lost power and stalled. when driving in hot weather or after a certain amount of time, the vehicle would stall in the middle of traffic. a mechanic stated that the pcm/tcm power train need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 160,000.

On august 26, 2014, i went to fair oaks ford lincoln dealership service in naperville, illinois for safety recall notice 14s02 / nhtsa recall 14v-165 repairs, and i asked them to check an issue where when brakes are applied, there is a scraping/grinding noise, followed by a knocking noise, which can affect reliable stopping and the vehicle steering stability. safety recall repairs were completed, then it was reported that the mechanic "pushed back" the vacuum plate cover for the rotor on the driver's side to resolve the scraping/grinding/knocking issue when applying the brakes. the issue with the braking action and subsequent noises and response of vehicle exhibited itself again by the second stoplight away from the fair oaks ford dealer location. two days later, on august 28, 2014, i took my 2002 ford escape to gearhead auto sales & repair in glen ellyn, illinois for an inspection and repair cost estimate. on the lift, the issue was apparent to the mechanic at gearhead to be the right front axle being faulty, and he replaced the right front axle, with boots, clamps and grease. my issue is that the ford dealer mechanic inspected and repaired my vehicle for the ford safety recall notice 14s02 / nhtsa recall 14v-165 in the same proximity on the passenger side of the vehicle when it was on the lift, but he failed to find and report the easily seen faulty right front axle problem the gearhead mechanic promptly reported to me. instead, the ford representative falsely pointed to the driver's side front brake rotor vacuum plate being out of place as being the issue causing the scraping/grinding/knocking noise when applying the brakes. is there any tie to the "corrosion-related separation" safety recall issue that led to the faulty right front axle condition? since my unemployment over the past 3 years, my ford escape has rarely been driven, and only in my local area.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the accelerator pedal intermittently became stuck when it was engaged. the contact had to continue applying pressure to the accelerator pedal in order for it to be released. while driving in reverse at 5 mph, the vehicle accelerated backwards over a curb and crashed into an electrical pole. a police report was filed. the driver and passenger were not injured. the vehicle was scheduled for further inspection and diagnostic testing by an insurance adjustor and an authorized dealer. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 78,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, smoke started to emit into the vehicle near the console. the contact merged to the side of the road and quickly exited the vehicle. the fire department was able to extinguish the fire. the vehicle was destroyed. the contact was later notified of recall nhtsa campaign id number: 12v005000 (electrical). the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

Vehicle sub-frame failed due to corrosion causing separation of the lower control arm resulting in diminished steering control. this issue appears to be covered by ford safety recall 14s02 and nhtsa recall 14v-166 that provided a reinforcement of the sub-frame. unfortunately the reinforcing parts necessary for the recall action were not immediately available before the frame failed. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving 20 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. the vehicle was previously repaired according to nhtsa campaign number 14v165000 (steering), but the failure recurred. the vehicle was towed to a dealer but was not diagnosed for the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified about the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 76,812.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while approaching a stop sign, there was a loud abnormal noise coming from the vehicle. the contact discovered that the sub frame was on the tire and fractured. the vehicle was towed to a dealer where the diagnosis results was not yet determined. the contact mentioned that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign id number: 14v165000 (suspension). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 74,000.

Lost brakes suddenly while driving; managed to control stop with parking brake. mechanic says right front brake hose broke. he mentioned that hose lines are too short in this model and tend to crack and break, especially when wheel fully turned, stretching hose. all other brake lines are cracked and must be replaced to avoid same issue. mechanic reports that this is a common problem in ford escapes and an internet search returned multiple consumer complaints about same issues, but no recall or warnings issued. i don't know what the threshold for recalls is, but my brakes went out just when i was leaving a crowded grocery store parking lot. had my reaction time not been as quick it is quite possible someone could have been injured or killed. thank you. *tr

Took my escape in to local ford dealership for repair of safety recall 14v-165. the dealership told me that the corrosion on the subframe and engine cradle was more extensive than what the recall has ever dealt with and that the installation of just the reinforcement crossbrace on the subframe will not fix the problem only "bandaid" it. the corrosion is so bad the part is going to break under any driving conditions and can therefore cause a crash. so now i have called the ford motor company to dispute the problem to be fixed properly but they denied my claim and i am therefore still without a vehicle to drive because mine is unsafe to drive. *tr

Returning home from vacation. heard something bump under the vehicle, slowed down, saw the engine light come on, then the engine started to sputter, rumble, run rough. got off the freeway. called for service, was towed to garage. mechanic discovered that a spark plug ejected from the engine, and that a 2nd spark plug was probably going to do the same thing. it is my understanding that this has happened before in ford engines and can cause alot of damage and possible injuries. *tr

Tl - the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving approximately 5 mph, the entire exhaust system detached from underneath the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who stated that the exhaust system and catalytic converter needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 97,000. jcc

Peeling paint on roof, hutch and around the driver side rear door. *tr

Backed out of driveway, put into drive and the car throttled and accelerated unexpectedly and caused me to run into a tree. the vehicle has been totaled. *tr

Brake lines crack prematurely and cause a blow out of the line. loose control of braking system for the vehicle. i have replaced front brake lines twice since owning and now for a 3rd time for 3 of the 4 wheels. it was recommended by my mechanic to file a report with the nhtsa for this as they see this on nearly every ford escape that comes in for brake related issues. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the fuel tank shield was completely rusted allowing the fuel tank to be exposed. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 69,500.

Corrosion-related separation lower control arm from subframe. car start pulling instantly to the right. have to call towing to get to dealer for repair, ford company refuse to repair under safety recall notice 14s02. dealer quote me around $2000 for repair. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated there was a fuel odor coming from the ignition. in addition, the contact stated that when driving there would be a sudden deceleration in speed. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacture was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that all four brake lines hose had to be replaced due to rust. the contact also stated that the alternator failed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 106,037.

Car was making creaking sounds. going around a corner the car basically had no steering or control. got car to ford dealership and based on taking photo of the car i was told that ford decided to put a cross brace on as opposed to replacing sub frame. i told dealership i did not agree with decision that subframe should be replaced car was returned to me with cross brace installed.aprox 4 weeks later car was undriveable. contacted ford told me to tow car back to dealership. after inspection of vehicle was told now that sub- frame was broken dealership contacted ford and was told that their request to replace sub frame was denied. the sub frame holds engine,trans, all steering and brake components. this is a very dangerous. my family could have been killed. i was told by fordsupv that because they put on brace instead of making the correct repair that was actually part of sub frame recall they would not replace sub frame. this is how ford treats their customers and puts them in harms way. if you look at the history of ford vehicles ford windstar ford escape etc. you will see they are using defective steel on under body components causing excessive rust resulting in critical component failures. in my 48 years of driving i have never had a vehicle with a broken frame when i asked ford for phone number or address to [xxx]. fields i was told that is not given out and that the ford supervisors denial was final decision. i feel ford is 100% wrong in this issue and is not making safe cars, and when there is a recall will not even fix the recalled parts. once again this is an extremely dangerous situation that could have resulted in death to my family if i was driving on the x-way shame shame on you ford motor. i will be looking into filing law suit or class action law suit against you. please do the right thing for the unlucky individuals who own these cars. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while traveling 70 mph, the vehicle erroneously veered off road. upon inspection, it was found that the passenger’s front control arm fractured. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the failure was confirmed. the dealer declined to repair the vehicle under nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (suspension) due to the excessive corrosion. the failure mileage was 180,000.

I received a letter about recall notice 14s02/nhtsa recall 14v-165. i have called my local ford dealership and gone in to the service center about this recall. the date on my letter was may 2014. they said they did not have the parts to fix the vehicle. i have tried several times to get this fixed and am just blown off by the dealership. what do i have to do get this recall taken care of. *tr

The car was sitting in the driveway. a couple hours before i had run the car idle in the drive to add coolant. at around 3 pm my neighbor called the fire department and notified us of smoke under our carport. fire department said it looked like the brakes caught fire. after the incident the research and talking to the dealer brought to my attention safely recall notice 11 s24 that would have prevented the fire. i never got recall info as i bought the car second hand. called ford and they said there is nothing they could do. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the front passenger door, rear hatchback, and driver’s side rear door were rusted and unable to be opened. the dealer stated that the doors needed to be repaired. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 153,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the air bag and abs warning lights illunimated on the instrument panel. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 110,000 and the current mileage was 166,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the sub frame was rusted. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was confirmed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that immediately after the vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 and nhtsa campaign number: 12v353000 (engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control) the vehicle started to surge back and forward. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. the techician stated that the front vacuum tube was leaking and would need to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. however, the failure persisted. the manufacturer was made aware of the defect. the vehicle was not re repaired. the failure mileage was 155,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while traveling 55 in the rain, the contact attempted to decelerate but the vehicle skid and crashed into a median. there were no injuries. a police report was filed. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 122,600.

I put the vehicle in reverse to back up and when i put vehicle back in drive it died/stalled. this has repeatedly happened along with dying at stop signs, red lights and multiple times at slow speeds. also the vehicle has repeatedly "stumbled" at various speeds up to 65 mph. *tr

While driving on a rural city street at 30 mph i decelerated to prepare to turn right. when i began to make my right hand turn i heard a loud pop and the car began to rattle the car came to a stop within 10 feet of the pop. i applied a small amount of power to the engine to try and get completely out of the road, but the car would not move. upon inspection of the front passenger tire it was facing 90 degrees in the opposite direction of the car, and pushed to the back of the wheel well. the cv shaft had come completely detached from the drive shaft. the vehicle had to be towed to a local shop that did sub-frame work. upon inspection at the auto body shop it was revealed that the engine cradle had also become detached due to the proximity to the exhaust from the engine heating it up constantly. along with the following parts needing replacement: right front cv shaft, front engine cradle, front control arm bolts, control arm bushing, cv drive axle, heavy duty exhaust clamps. the shop had to remove and replace the engine cradle and the right front sub-frame. if i had been on a high speed interstate, and this happened i would have probable flipped, because the front right tire was unable to move, and was pulling towards the inside of the car. the total cost to get this repaired to a safe driving condition was $1352.69. *tr

I was approaching a traffic light to turn. as i applied the brake instead of stopping the truck accelerated. hitting the back of a vehicle. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle was traveling approximately 45 mph before crashing into the rear of a utility truck. the contact indicated that during the crash, the air bags did not deploy. the driver suffered head, chest, and leg injuries and was transported to the hospital. a police report was taken at the scene. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 181,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while having the vehicle inspected under a manufacture’s recall pertaining to the crossbar, he was advised that the front sub frame was defective and would need replacing. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacture was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 188,000.

While driving her 2002 ford escape to work my daughter noticed the steering was not right. in order for her to keep driving straight she had to turn the steering wheel. she went over a pair of rough railroad tracks & lost control of the vehicle. her front passenger tire control bar had completely separated from the frame. it was rusted through. luckily she was driving in a 30mph zone & there were no other cars around. thankfully she was not hurt but quite shaken up. we were unaware of a vehicle recall on this model until a friend of hers recalled seeing an article in the news about control bars rusting through causing steering problems. her front tire was completely bald after this incident. (tread was good before). i called ford as soon as i was able & reported the incident. the rep told me that in order for a repair the vehicle had to be towed to a ford dealer & to keep the tow bill as they would cover it. right now the suv is at the dealer. it has been 2 days since they've had it & i've heard nothing. i am getting very impatient. because it's a recall i have a hunch they put it on the back burner. this vehicle is her only way to school & work. i asked about a loaner & they explained that because of the huge volume of recalls, a loaner would be difficult to come by. what has happened to customer service? i am expecting not only the vehicle to be fixed but i feel we should be compensated for the 1 tire - maybe 2 depending on the condition of the other side. i don't need a set of new ones - just something to pass inspection. if anyone has experienced the same issues please post something back. thank you ! [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

This incident happened back in february of 2014, while i was leaving my house to take my car for an oil change, when i stepped on the gas, it suddenly just stalled at 10mph, so i released the gas and then pressed on it again, the second time was fine, but when i came to a full stop and pressed on the gas, it stalled again, after it passes 10 mph, the vehicle was just cruising continuously. so one time my car stalled again and i almost hit the car in front of me, luckily i did not. for me this is a safety issue as well as a engine/transmission issue. this was not the only time this incident had happened. and just recently i took it ford for a diagnose and they had told me that it needs a new transmission and they quoted me $4500 to get it fixed. *js

While traveling out my drievway the subframe broke on the passenger side on the front. this let the wheel go 90 degrees th the car and pulled out my front axle making the car inoperable.ford says my car is not included in the subframe recall.can you get my car added to the recall so they will pay for the repairs. *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, the vehicle abnormally accelerated when the brakes were applied. as a result, the contact crashed into another vehicle. there were no injuries and a police report was filed. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection of the failure. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 175,414. updated 05/22/14 ma updated 8/7/2017*cn

While driving along a highway in virginia, i heard. (and felt) a loud noise from the rear of the car. i thought i hit a pothole. i continued driving toward florida, stopping in a motel in south carolina. the next morning, while re-packing the car, i noticed the gas tank had fallen and was partly sitting on the rear axle. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving into his driveway at a low speed, with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated and crashed into his shad and side wiped his neighbor's house. the vehicle continued to accelerate with force when the contact applied to the brake pedal. the vehicle finally came to a stop when the vehicle crashed into an area of bushes. however, the engine continued to rev and the wheels continued to spin. the contact was the able to turn off the engine. upon inspection,the insurance company totalled the vehicle. the contact suffered injuries to the neck and body. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure and current mileage was 67,000.

The passenger side door is stuck in the locked position. this is not an uncommon problem according to an internet search. i believe this should be a recall as it is a safety problem, and my car won't pass state inspection unless it is fixed. it is an expensive repair (i was quoted $700). *tr

Escape was hit on front left bumper by another vehicle, causing escape to exit highway and crashing into and sliding down a concrete overpass pillar; damaging the front bumper, light, and complete left side of escape. the airbag did not deploy! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated while driving from a complete stop the transmission failed to respond without any warning. the vehicle was towed to the residence. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified and stated there was no recall related to the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 110,000. *tr

While driving my 2002 ford focus v6 i have experienced several instances of sudden unintended vehicle acceleration. i took my car to parks ford in wesley chapel, fl who said they suspect it is from my throttle cable sticking but they would not fix it for me even though many escapes have had the same problem and resulted in numerous deaths. it would cost me over $400 to fix and just because my particular vin number is not part of the recall for they would not help me. i even spoke to someone at the main ford office who said the same thing. this is blatantly refusing to stand by their product, even though they realize this could result in a very serious safety problem. i told the man at ford that i guess they want to wait until someone else dies of this problem and he said if he was me and knew what i know he just wouldn't drive that car, which proves that they realize the seriousness and yet refuse to make it a recall on my car even though the same issue resulted in several deaths for escape owners in the past. *tr

On nov 26 i was driving to my work at 45 miles per hour and the distance i kept from the car in front of me was sufficient to allow me stopping adequately. suddenly, i noticed that traffic was approaching to a red light so i tap on the brakes to slow down and stop. however, the brakes were not reducing the speed so immediately i stamped on the brake pedal to let the car stop while simultaneously, i looked to realize that i could not change lanes. at this point i was left with no time to gear down the transmission or to pull the emergency brake. consequently, my ford escape was forced to stop by crashing into the car in front of me and producing a domino effect involving a third vehicle in front of us. fortunately, no personal injuries were reported from the other two drivers whose cars were involved.. i did suffered slight neck pain and after visiting the hospital i did not had major injuries or nothing to worry about so far. in regards to personal property damages, the two cars in front of mine, had minimal damages but, mine was severely damaged to the point is totally inoperable. all claims were reported and taken care by geico, my insurance company. also a traffic crash car report was filed. i received a driving traffic citation from the police, which i plan to escalate to the courthouse, after knowing that the brake failure i experienced resulted from manufacturer's defects reported by ford under recalls 11s24 and 12 s37. * please note that this writing is only for information purposes and to alert any other drivers to perform on-time maintenance check-ups to prevent similar or worst scenarios. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 75 mph, he attempted disengage the cruise control but the vehicle maintained 75 mph. the contact stated that he depressed that brake pedal but the engine continued to rev. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the throttle cable needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 130,000.

I was driving at 70mph on a highway. i went to take my exit and pushed the button to turn the cruise control off, but that did not slow the vehicle down at all. it kept accelerating all the way up to 90mph. i tapped the brakes but it did not slow the car down. i was afraid to keep my foot on the brakes due to heating the brakes up so much that it would catch my car on fire. i put it in neutral but the rpms revved between 5000-6000 so i switched back in to drive. when i finally had an area where there were no other cars around me i slammed on the brake pedal to slow it down as much as i possibly could before putting it into park. when it was in park the rpms jumped all the way up to 5000 and sounded as though the car was going to blow up so i turned the car off. then i opened the hood and removed the cruise control cable. i have had the recall done on this vehicle and never had a problem with this til now. my car is no leaking oil and smells like something is burning. i have contacted ford and they seemed as though this was an unimportant issue. they stated that they were not responsible for repairs. this should be an issue for them since they are the ones who fixed it in the first place with the last recall they had on this issue. *tr

Arrived home, parked vehicle in driveway and shortly after my wife took our puppy outside and saw my car was on fire under the hood, i was able to open the hood and saw flames and sparks coming from the drivers side firewall area, called fire dept after my fire extinguisher failed to fully put out the fire fearing it would catch the house on fire as i was parked less than 10 ft from it. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the rear hatch door failed to lock. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician verified that the door latch needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 176,000 and the current mileage was 176,604.

Clicking noise while making a right hand turn. steering wheel no longer in the straight up position when vehicle is traveling in a straight line. approximately turned 20-25 degrees clockwise. inspection of the front end revealed that the front suspension crossmember has rusted through at the passenger side lower control arm front mount area. *tr

The rear liftgate glass support broke while opening the rear window. i was able to quickly grab the rear window before it could break. i would note that the falling rear windshield can strike the operator and/or bystander and could cause significant injuries that could include bruises to the head, neck or back, and possibly cuts to the face, arm or hand. i took my ford escape to my local ford dealer (friendly ford of monroe, mi) to have this issue repaired. i mentioned to the service manager that explorers and mountaineers had been recalled for this same exact defect and he told me to save my receipt in case my vehicle is recalled in the future. the repair to my vehicle cost $236.00 at the dealer. i noted that on september 9, 2004, ford notified the owners that it will recall approximately 955,732 vehicles, specifically 2002 and 2003 ford explorer and mercury mountaineer vehicles to replace the liftgate glass strut brackets and/or hinges. i'm sure these hinges were also used on 2002 ford escapes. before buying the above listed ford escape, i test drove several other escapes. on one of the escapes that i test drove, i opened up the rear liftgate glass and noticed that one hinge was broken and that the glass was hanging from just one hinge. i notified the dealer of this problem and told him that i would not be buying this vehicle. my niece also owns a 2003 ford escape and her hinge became rusted out and had to be replaced. see "nhtsa recall" 04v442000 for details.

First incident- i was coming off an exit and the car infront of me got cut off on the off ramp because there was an entrance right after the turn, he brake and i slammed on my brakes. my abs did not kick in. i did rear ended the car infront of me, but my car had all the damage. i did not think anything of this and only blamed myself. my car got repaired. now (10/28/13)- my cars abs/brakes are not working. i do not feel safe behind the car. last year 2012, i got the recalls completed but they were minor. but my abs system/brakes are crucial. my brakes are sticking, pulsing, going all the way to the floor. it is more than just a tone ring! that is the response i received when i went to a ford dealership. something is incorrect with my abs pump and something has to be done about it. when i think of the first incident i think something may have been wrong all along. *tr

I was driving my 2002 ford escape at 25 mph on a suburban side street. suddenly there was a loud clunk sound on the right front of the car with the front dropping and the car grinding to a stop. inspection revealed the right front wheel was basically broken off with that side of the car sitting on the ground. further inspection revealed that the lower front suspension a-frame pulled loose from the engine cradle due to rust on the crossmember. *tr

My vehicle began to make unknown noises when driving, and steering control became very loose. i promptly took the car to my mechanic. i was told the subframe was so badly rotted that the passenger wheel control arm had separated from the subframe and can not be reattached without replacing the subframe. the vehicle is now no longer safe to drive. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while stopped at a stop light, the accelerator was depressed and the vehicle stalled suddenly. the contact was able to restart the vehicle but the failure recurred. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic, where the contact was informed that the transmission failed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified. the failure and current mileage was 200,000. the vin was not provided.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 70 mph, the vehicle accelerated independently to speeds of 88 mph. the contact applied immense pressure to the brakes but to no avail. he then maneuvered the vehicle to the side of the highway and turned off the ignition. upon further inspection, he found that the accelerator cable was the cause of the failure. the vehicle had been recalled six years earlier under nhtsa campaign number: 04v574000 (vehicle speed control). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 172,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated while driving 55 mph the vehicle accelerated independently. the contact applied immense pressure to the brakes to no avail. the contact crashed into five vehicles. the contact suffered bruises to her legs. the vehicle was destroyed. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 135,000. updated 12/5/13*cn

My escape was parked in driveway when we went to go to town and it was smoking then on fire this was in the evening about 8 if we hadn't gone out we would have had a huge fire witch could have involved 3 other cars not to mention our house we live in ramona ca 92065 and its fire season we are in a rural area..

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated smoke emitted from under the hood of the vehicle. the vehicle was removed from under the carport and flames surfaced around the drivers side of the engine. the fire department extinguished the fire. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 100,000. the vin was unavailable.

Concern that only one connector strap locks on graco affx booster seat after connector clips are attached to latch brackets. other one does not lock in so seat can be pulled out on one side. called graco a bit ago and they said this is "normal" and not a design flaw. however, instructions suggest pulling on straps will hold seat in tight until release button is pushed. i am reading similar complaints in on-line reviews as well as others who say this is not a problem....which sounds like it is a problem!. bottom line: with one side of this seat not locking tight like the other side and able to slide loose from flush against the back of the vehicle seat, is this booster seat safe for my child to use, i.e., does it retain all its approved crash safety features whether the seat is locked in tight (as some users appear to be able to do) or slides loose on one side with slight pulling, such as may occur in the event of an impact?? note: couldn't find description of booster in dropdown list further on. is graco affix booster, model 1839168 (related vehicle information: model year=2002, make=ford, model=escape). *tr

While driving at around 65 mph on a freeway, the car turned on abs light all of sudden and in a less than a minute the car's electricity all shut off, engines shut off, steering shut off, brakes shut off, radio shut off. i've had the same problem previously more than 6 times, but before, it was when i was driving less than 30 mph, but this time, it happened on the freeway. it happened while putting on my breaks, and i believe it was one of the recall problem that the car stops while decelerating. however, the dealer told me that recall works have been already done on the car before it happened. so i suspect that the dealer did not figure out the main reason why the car is stopping while decelerating or just didn't work on the recall and lied. *tr

While opening the rear liftgate window, both left and right hinges broke leaving the window hanging. analyzing where the break occurred (which was the same place on each hinge), this could have happened even if there was no attempt to open the lift gate window. the screw inside of the car holding the hinge to the window was rusted, apparently due to the parts not making a water tight seal on the window. if this had happened while driving, the window could have possibly broken completely off and caused damage to vehicles and/or persons that were following. the liftgate window hinge part # is 420a68. *tr

Lower control arm ripped off under cradle & ripped passenger side drive shaft off the transmission - the wheel fell off the car. it appears under cradle rusted from inside. i shudder at the thought of that happening when my wife was on the freeway, instead of coming to a stop. this vehicle was always kept in the garage. *tr

The subframe was so badly rusted that the control arm separated from the subframe. i found several complaints of the same thing happening to other people with ford escapes. and it always seems to happen at the right front passenger area. this is a very dangerous flaw, and one that could cause serious injury or death if the failure happens at high speed. i think the ford ranger frames were recalled for a similar rusting issue, perhaps the two are related. thank you for your time and prompt attention. *tr

On two separate occasions, the rear window exploded while parked unattended in a parking lot. the rear window defroster had been on prior to incident. security cameras reveal thee was no human tampering prior to explosion.

Had powertrain control module re-calibrated, re-programmed pcm, abs module connector repair and inspection, abs relay installation and master cylinder cap replaced, all re-calls. find out hcu hydraulic control unit is failing which is a safety hazard and can result in brakes failing and possible death from loss of control and accident. thank god this hasn't happened but ford needs to take responsibility fix this issue with so many others with same problem. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the link for the gear shifter failed and the vehicle could not be driven. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic, who stated that the link for the gear shifter was rusted and became fractured. the failure caused the transmission to become unresponsive. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileages were 100,000. *tr

2002 ford escape. consumer writes in regards to vehicle has acceleration issues. *smd the consumer stated the accelerator pedal became stuck and burned out the catalytic converter, and the intake valves cracked as well.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact was driving approximately 45 mph and heard an abnormal noise outside of the vehicle. the failure recurred intermittently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the sub frame was completely rusted and would need to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 120,000. updated 5/7/13 *cn updated 05/28/2013 *js

To start off the idle control valve needed to be replaced because when you push the clutch in it dies and you loose all power , another is the bushing in the control arm slipped out of the arm mount so i had to replace it and another that just happened is the gas tank strap and support pan broke and plastic gas tank hit the ground on one end and the other is grinding on the drive shaft. and the ford dealership wont fix anything cause it ain't considered powertrain. *tr

My 2002 escape was serviced for a recall issued a few years back. the wiring harness on the abs brake system. when we took it in to have the recall repaired the dealer said the abs module was bad- $900 to fix it!! they say it is not related because it didn't catch fire or burn up/melt the wiring harness?? i have to wait for parts to melt or catch fire before they will fix the part it plugs into?? every vehicle we have purchased now in the last 20 years has been a ford. we paid off both our fords and were ready to purchase and hand down the escape to my 16 y/o daughter.it is not safe! more than 4 recalls all safety related on this vehicle. our f150 goes in for a few recalls and spark plugs- a whopping $500 to change spark plugs because of the design of the engine and an extra hour of labor for each one that breaks off...lovely! at the mercy of ford and once again, total dissatisfaction and disappointment. now they could care less who gets hurt,i’m not going to risk my daughters life or anyone€™s for that matter. ford should take care of this. also, it says €œmodified abs system€ in recall with master cylinder cap (not even repaired see below)now they want to charge is $900 to repair. someone or many will end up injured or worse! my 2002 escape was serviced for a recall issued a few years back. the wiring harness on the abs brake system (not good) when we took it in to have the recall repaired the dealer said the abs module was bad- $900 to fix it!! they say it is not related because it didn't catch fire or burn up/melt the wiring harness?? more than 4 recalls all safety related on this vehicle the newest brake system recall is the master cylinder fluid cap (didn't even know about this one and it was not fixed and my fluid is leaking all over the place. *tr

I have had my 2002 ford escape since june 2002. i bought it brand new and i have never had any problems with my airbags before and have never been in any accidents that would cause the airbags to deploy. all of a sudden in early january 2013, i started to notice my check airbag light on my dashboard illuminate. i thought this was odd since it had never done so before and i had never been in any accidents so i didn't really think anything of it and thought the light would just go off. the light continued to go on and so i finally brought it to the dealership on february 15, 2003. the dealership performed a diagnostic test on the airbag system only to find out that both of the pre-tensioner connectors that clip to the wire harness that makes the airbag system work had high resistance and needed to be replaced. without a fix, the airbag system no longer worked. they claimed that over time with the wear and tear of the vehicle, this will happen and the clips will no longer clip as they said. i find that hard to believe that a major safety feature of a vehicle such as airbags would all of a sudden stop working creating a potentially hazardous situation if there was an accident and the airbags did not deploy. i just wanted to share my story with you in case there have been other similar situations with this make and model of vehicle that might warrant a model recall in the future. *tr

I was driving down a small hill and had a blow out the brakes did not stop the car lost control and rolled over the side of the hill.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle made a clunking noise. after inspecting the vehicle, she noticed that the frame was completely corroded. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the current and failure mileage was 93,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving downhill at 40 mph and attempting to apply the brakes, the brake pedal abnormally traveled to the floor board. the contact mentioned that in order to stop the vehicle he had to down shift and engage the emergency brake. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 176,000. updated 3/14/13 *cn the consumer stated both front brake hoses failed at the same time. updated 03/21/13

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that brake fluid was leaking onto the brake reservoir. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician advised that the master cylinder would need to be replaced but the part was not available for repair. the brake warning light continued to illuminate intermittently. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module) that could have been related to the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact that the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 25,000.

While driving through a parking lot my 2002 ford escape suddenly made a clunking sound then suddenly stopped. i could not steer the car to the side or move it forward or backward. i exited the car and looked at the drivers side tire and it seemed fine . i then went over to the passenger side and saw that my wheel was completely turned in the opposite direction. i figured that i probably broke a tie rod. i called aaa to have the auto towed to a local service station. when the tow driver arrived he took a look at my escape and said that my subframe was rusted so bad that it had separated in two. by doing that my wheel axle had completely separated from the transmission. his opinion was that if i was driving on a highway and this had happened it probably would have caused a major auto collision and maybe even causing my escape to roll over. this to me seems to be a very dangerous flaw in the design and construction of the subframe and i am very fortunate this did not happen on the highway. it could have caused major damage and even death to innocent people. *tr

Was approaching a stop sign and the tire fell sideways. called for a tow truck and the garage called and said the subframe was so badly rusted that the control arm separated from the subframe. i find this hard to believe that a vehicle with such little mileage could rust so bad. ford should seriously look into this issue because if your traveling @ a high speed and the control arm separates you can have a major accident and cause injuries or even death. *tr

Again i own three of these vehicles and while pumping gas my fuel tank straps rotted out, same as the other two. again dealer will not warranty and they won't help especially with the same problem with all three vehicles. *tr

I own three ford escapes and on this vehicle i've had the right front abs ring snap same as all the others with no warranty from the dealer. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle emitted a burning odor and the vehicle stalled several times without warning. the contact mentioned that sometimes the vehicle suddenly accelerated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection, but the mechanic was unable to locate or duplicate the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 156,000 and the current mileage 162,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that when driving at various speeds she would hear a loud whistling noise. when she would depresses the brakes the noise would stop. the vehicle was later taken to a dealer who diagnosed that the master cylinder was leaking and needed to be replaced. the vehicle has not been repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and they advised her that there were no recalls on her vehicle. the failure mileage was approximately 203,000 and the current mileage was approximately 230,000. the vin was unavailable.

The vehicle, after being turned off, would not turn back on, and the gear indicator square that surrounds the engaged gear was multiplying, flashing and "dancing" from gear to gear. this happened a second time exactly one week later, and this time the interior lights were flashing and could not be stopped. after quite some time once the key was removed and the door was closed, the flashing interior lights ceased and would only continue again once the key was in the ignition. though removing the key caused the lights to stop flashing, even once the key was removed, the indicator square continued the behavior. periodically during operation the lights strengthen in and out when idling. *tr

When i first start my vehicle and begin driving it, unless i reach 20 mph before needing to brake, the brakes make a grinding noise and at first the pedal resists, then it gives way in, causing the brake to need to pressed down completely before the vehicle will come to a stop. once i reach the 20 mph or so, the abs light comes on, and after that, the brakes work fine. i took it to my ford dealership, they reportedly did not find a problem with the brakes, but performed a recall on only the abs light itself. this did nothing for the grinding resistance and failure of the brake pedal upon initially needing to stop, and still the abs light pops on once i reach 20-25 mph. *tr

Going between 34-37 mph today, my vehicle completely stalled upon slight deceleration as i was attempting to switch into another lane. *tr

Upon pressing the brake, at any speed, the vehicle completely shuts off. this has caused me to be nearly rear-ended on several occasions. it happens without notice, and is becoming more consistent. i took it to the dealership, as there were recalls on my vehicle, but they said while that is a problem for my make and model, it was in fact not one of the recalls to be performed. i had two recalls performed, neither of which helped this problem at all. it leaves me halted in intersections, and makes for abrupt stops, as i have to completely brake to a full and complete stop, throw the truck into park, turn the key off, wait a moment, turn the key back on, and back into drive. *tr

I was driving my 2002 ford escape and coming to a stop at an intersection when i heard a loud popping sound. after i stopped, i released the brake and rolled forward a few feet before re-applying the brakes and the sound repeated. i was able to drive it across the highway to a ford dealership for repairs. upon inspection the following morning it was determined that the subframe assembly had rusted out completely on the passenger side and had caused the lower control arm to become loose thus bending it and making it unusable. i am thankful that this happened at a very slow speed and fear that if other folks have this happen at highway speed it could be a very bad outcome ! this allowed my passenger side tire to pull outward hence pulling the control arm loose. it was a very expensive fix and the warranty i had purchased at the time of buying the vehicle was no avail. i contacted ford and was told that if there is no recall then there is no problem !! sorry but it was a very expensive fix and i believe ford should make good on this. how many injuries are required before someone takes notice ?? the repair bill was $ 1160.96. i had only owned the vehicle for 7 months at that time. it still has many payments to be made before it is paid off. it would appear that the air conditioning drain runs down this area causing it perhaps ? just an observation from a running vehicle identical to mine. any help would be appreciated on this matter and hopefully it gets resolved before any fatalities happen if they haven't already !! thank you ! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated there was a recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 12v353000 (vehicle speed control: cables). the manufacturer was notified who informed the remedy part was unavailable and the expected date was mid august 2012. the dealer and manufacturer were unable to provide an arrival date. the contact had not experienced failure with the throttle.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving the air bag light erroneously illuminated. the vehicle was not taken to a mechanic. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 80,060 and the current mileage was 130,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle exhibited a loud explosion while the contact driving. the contact noticed that the rear liftgate glass had exploded and shattered, causing scratches to the side windows. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 112,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the air bag warning lamp illuminated intermittently. the dealer was contacted who did not offer any assistance since her vehicle was not included in any recalls. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 108,500 and the current mileage was 108,600.

A couple of friends and i where on our way to la when we stopped for gas. filled up the tank and then started the car, which started perfectly fine, i then put the car into drive and when i pushed the accelerator the car simply revved the engine and did not move. the drive gear was not engaging but second worked fine. first gear did engage also but it felt it was slammed into place not smoothly engaging. had a near by mechanic look at it and he said that the transmission was giving out and that it would need to be replaced. i had the car towed to a dealership where i was told the clutch had blown out and taken the rest of the transmission with it and it all had to be replaced. it was a $3500 repair that i now wish i had done more research on because this seems to be a common issue. the car only had 54000 miles but it was 10 years old and there were no signs that the transmission was going out. the new transmission does come with a 3 year, unlimited mile warranty which is why i went with that instead of a rebuild which would have been a bit cheaper. after learning about all the problems this transmission has, i will be looking for a new car in the coming years. i like fords but this really making think about getting a new car from some one else. *tr

Vehicle has begun to accelerate unexpectedly since early september. there has been at least four incidents involving vehicle suddenly accelerating when its was at low speed or stopped (with foot on the brake). the accelerations last a few seconds and lurch the car forward. the vehicle has been taken to ford for the recall notices involving the cruise control cable (11s24b on 30 june 12 and 12s37b on 20 sep 12). this vehicle did not experience this problem prior to the recall repairs. *tr

Driving 15mph down home street and heard a clunk. put in reverse to get back to driveway and right front wheel was sideways and dragging. after calling local garage was informed it was the subframe that holds the control arm that was rusted through. able to maneuver car onto front lawn where it still sits. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that as the vehicle was shifted into reverse, the vehicle abnormally accelerated and crashed into the contact’s home, a nearby fence and finally a tree. the failure ceased once the vehicle crashed into the tree. the contact sustained injuries to the face, neck and the right foot. the passenger sustained minor lacerations to the face and shoulder. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who inspected the vehicle and located the failure at the cable throttle stick. the contact later received notification of nhtsa campaign id number 12v353000 (vehicle speed control cables) in august 2012. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and denied assistance with the repair. the failure and current mileage was 173,000.

1 - rear latch is not working properly. when it is cool outside, the latch will not open the back door. 2 - window latch has rusted causing the rear window to detach from the hinge. not that i am bidder, but at 37k miles, the transmission blew.... i discussed this issue with both ford and my dealership ([xxx]). both companies stated they could not help me and that it was on me to pay to correct. i explained that this was due to a lack of using proper supplies. they could not have cared less. i am hoping you can have them look into this because i would really hate to be involved in a car accident cannot use the rear as an exit.... information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while parked, the rear lift gate hinge fractured. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the contact stated the hinge part number was the same part number for the hinge being recalled under nhtsa campaign id number: 04v442000 structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments. the dealer was made aware of the failure and stated the vehicle was not included in that recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 94,000.

Fuel tank strap rusted and broke from tank sagged onto drive shaft when tank was full of fuel this only was noted when turning a sharp corner, wore hole in tank metal cover.note cover is rusted. *tr

Brake tone rings crack and cause abs to not function properly. very common problem on ford escapes. *tr

[xxx] was driving her 2002 ford escape when, while accelerating up a hill, the speed control throttle guide rotated up into the appearance cover and became latched in a rib. this resulted in a wide open throttle, and [xxx] was unable to slow or stop the car. the brakes then overheated and failed, and she sped through town until she swerved to avoid another car and crashed. her car rolled several times, and [xxx]was killed. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

My car had a loud squeak and creak while driving that continually got louder over the past week... i took it to my mechanic and he discovered the sub frame assembly on the front passenger side has completely rotted away. this attaches to the control arm, and ford has no recall. he is a certified mechanic and says this part should never have rotted. he advised to check with ford for recall, however ford denies any recall with this part.. so no action from ford about a rotted frame! vehicle is now unable to be driven due to safety concerns of control arm becoming unattached. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the brakes were exhibiting failures and the vehicle would jerk abnormally. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who discovered that the brake lines were fractured and would need replacing. the dealer replaced the brakes, rotors, brake pedal and the brake lines. the vehicle continued exhibiting braking issues after the repair. the contact later received notification of nhtsa campaign id numbers: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module), 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module), and 07e023000 (service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder) and took the vehicle to the dealer for repairs. the dealer denied the recall repairs. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the issue. the failure mileage was 33,000 and the current mileage was 62,000.

My daughter ( a teacher) was driving the vehicle on i94 to work in 2010 with the speed control set. the vehicle speed increased and she hit the brake, but the accelerator was stuck and she could not slow the vehicle down as it over-powered the brake. she did not know what to do and called 911. the police officer told her to put the vehicle in neutral and turn the key off after she got the vehicle under control. she was extremely lucky no one was ahead of her on the expressway. the accelerator remained stuck after she had pulled off the road with the motor off. i went to get her and the vehicle. i was able to release the accelerator by hitting it hard with my foot. i carefully drove the vehicle home. i was able to recreate the accelerator sticking on the expressway several times. i reported this to ford (dearborn) and told them they had a problem, however, they did not seem interested in investigating the issue, and suggested i pay a dealer to fix it. i have driven the vehicle, without using the speed control and being very careful to accelerate slowly (as my daughter still has my vehicle). but, now i will take it a dealer and ford (thanks to the government and the vehicle safety law) will pay to fix it! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that a grinding noise emitted from the steering column while driving at various speeds. the contact also stated that the noise became more prevalent during hot weather. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, but they could not diagnose the failure. the contact was informed that the failure could be the result of a bearing issue. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 85,000. ..updated 09-17-12 *bf the consumer stated the noise did cease for a period of time. updated 09/18/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that brake fluid leaked from the vehicle. the vehicle was not taken to dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 130,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while attempting to enter the highway, the vehicle abnormally accelerated. the contact was unable to stop the acceleration and shifted into neutral, applied the brakes and activated the emergency brakes but to no avail. the vehicle would not respond and the contact crashed into a vehicle, followed by a pole. the vehicle then ignited in flames. the contact was injured as a result. there was a police report filed of the incident. the vehicle was destroyed. the failure mileage was 100,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle stalled while driving 55 mph. the failure was experienced several times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where a diagnostic was performed but the dealer was unable to locate a failure code. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and denied assistance with the repair because the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 04v165000 (power train: automatic transmission: control module -tcm, pcm). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 139,161.

Attorney for driver's family and media reports indicate that the vehicle was being driven immediately after purchase in the phoenix / mesa area along arizona state route 87 towards payson. the final approach to payson involves a prolonged upward grade, which would have required heavy accelerator use by the driver. along the way, the driver was unable to disengage the accelerator or otherwise bring the vehicle to a safe stop. the vehicle struck other vehicles as it traversed an intersection, and rolled, ejecting the driver, who suffered fatal injuries. a subsequent inspection of the vehicle documented that the cruise control cable connector was lodged against the underside of the engine cover and that the throttle was open to 84%. the vehicle had received the accelerator cable replacement for recall 04v574 in january of 2005. (note: this record was received via telephone interview between odi investigators and counsel for the driver's family in late june of this year. it has been added to our complaint file to document the incident for an investigation opening. it will be updated as appropriate as more information is received)

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 70 mph, the accelerator became stuck in open throttle and caused the vehicle to accelerate. the contact also mentioned that the accelerator pedal would become stuck sporadically and would not allow the contact to accelerate. the manufacturer was not notified of the issue. the vehicle was not taken for diagnosis or repair. the failure was mileage was 110,000 and the current mileage was 114,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while parking at less than 5 mph, the vehicle accelerated abnormally to 15 mph. the contact had removed his foot from the accelerator pedal when vehicle accelerated. the vehicle crashed against the foundation of the garage in the contact's home. the contact sustained neck injuries as a result. the vehicle was taken to the mechanic for inspection and there were no failures found. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unavailable. the current mileage was 104,000. the failure mileage was 77,000.

While driving at normal speeds on ice-glazed winter roads in fairbanks, ak, i approached an intersection and took my foot off the accelerator to prepare to slow down. instead of dropping to idle speeds, the engine accelerated up to 3500-4000 rpm. i shifted the automatic transmission to neutral and was able to stop the car with the brakes, but the engine continued to race at high-throttle until i shut off the engine. when i restarted the engine it behaved normally for several days; but the problem came back intermittently several times over the next several weeks; and every time, shutting off the engine was the only way to stop it. ford's database showed my car had undergone a recall in 2005 to fix a similar problem. in january 2012, stanley ford in kenai, ak 'supposedly' replaced the throttle cable and throttle body assembly for $572, but it didn't solve the problem. the uncontrolled acceleration occurred several more times, as before, until a second repair in february 2012 by seekins ford in fairbanks, which replaced a pcv and tubing, and did a complete tune-up for $992. since then, there have been no more issues with the accelerator. *tr

Tl* the contact owned a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the driver of the vehicle parked the vehicle and moments later, the vehicle ignited into flames. there were no injuries and the vehicle was destroyed. a fire report was filed. the contact stated that the cause of the fire was unknown. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 80,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that in 2010, the vehicle was parked when smoke emitted from under the hood. the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the abs module was the cause of the failure. the abs module was not replaced at the time of the failure. the vehicle was recently taken to an authorized dealer to be repaired under nhtsa campaign id number 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic: anti lock: control unit/module). the abs module could not be replaced due to failed wires that posed a fire hazard. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 139,000 and the current mileage was 166,000.

When attempting to start the vehicle it would take along time to start. vehicle checked nothing found, no trouble code. changed things like fuel filter, air filter and other simple thing. now vehicle stalls while driving but the vehicle will start back up immediately. again no trouble codes. the truck stalled in traffic 5 times in less than one mile, a road that is traveled several times a day. *tr

The airbag light keeps coming on. i took it in for service for regular maintenance and then the light was off. i've had the car now for 10 years this december. i can't recall a time my airbag light has not been on. just recently i started researching and found their is a short wire under the drivers seat and it has a little gray prong on it. the gray prong needs to be grounded and it should be attached the bars the seat slides back and forth on. i stuck the gray plug in and the airbag light went out. the only problem is every time you move the seat it pushes the gray plug down and eventually it will come back on and i will have to fix it again. ford needs to correct this problem. the problem is an easy fix and i don't understand why they don't change the plug or make a longer cord. ford needs to fix the problem. i love my car but hate the frustration. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape xlt. the contact stated that the vehicle was serviced under nhtsa campaign id number :12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module ). later, the abs warning light illuminated while traveling 25 mph and the brakes failed to work properly. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the dealer confirmed that the abs control module needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted but the vehicle was not further repaired. the failure and current mileages were 111,053.

I purchased my escape in 2004, with 15,000. miles. shortly after that i received an noticed that it had been recalled for something with the safety belt which they replaced/repaired frr of charge. now the airbag light came on and the dealer told me it was some type of senor, and it would cost about 250.00 to fix. now the airbag light is off but the chime remains. i have been observing that this issue one of safety, and it isn't the first complaint. when will ford get off their corporate behind and get this fixed before someone gets killed? *tr

The passenger side door became stuck in the lock potion and you can no longer open that door at all. you can't unlock the ether. the door does not open from inside, or outside of the vehicle. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that notification of nhtsa campaign id number: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic: anti-lock: control unit/module) was received january 2012. the dealer stated that the part would not become available until the end of june. the manufacturer also advised the contact that the part was not readily available. the contact stated that the recall had exceeded a reasonable time for repair. the approximate failure and the current mileage was 98,000. the consumer would like the seal replaced on the master cylinder. updated 07/12/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the abs warning light remained illuminated and the abs motor continued running once the engine was turned off. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where a diagnostic was performed, which located the failure at the hydraulic control unit. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign id number: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic: antilock: control unit/module) prior to the failure. the contact was unable to have the vehicle serviced under the recall within a reasonable time period and believed that the failure was caused by the lack of recall service. the manufacture was contacted and denied any assistance with repairs, stating that the hydraulic control unit was not associated with the recall campaign. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 120,000.

2002 ford escape. consumer writes in regards to vehicle recall *tgw the consumer stated he has not received any type of correspondence as to when he can have the recall performed on his vehicle. recall # 07v156000 *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford focus. the contact was traveling 35 mph when the engine began making a knocking noise. the contact stated that seat valve failed and caused the pistons to fail. the contact stated that the failure caused the vehicle to run poorly and slower than normal. the dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no known recalls for the vehicle and that the engine had to be replaced because it was not repairable. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 111,000. the vin was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the front passenger side wheel well and the sub frame had rusted out. the contact was informed by their mechanic that the vehicle was not safe to drive. the vehicle had not been inspected by the dealer. the failure and current mileages were 160,000. updated 05/23/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that a burning odor was exhibited form the vehicle while driving 70 mph. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that there were two leaks coming from the engine. the vehicle was repaired however, the burning odor remained after the vehicle was repaired. the contact also stated that she received notification of nhtsa campaign id number 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module) but was informed that the parts would not be available to repair the vehicle until the second quarter of 2012. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 100,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated he received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module) five months ago but the dealer did not have the parts to repair the vehicle. the contact was forced to park his vehicle outside due to the risk of a fire. the manufacturer was contacted and they also stated the parts were unavailable. there are no failures at this time. the current mileage was 136,000.

Dear nhtsa: i received a recall notice in january 2012 for my 2002 ford escape. a possible electrical short could occur in the anti-lock brake system which could result in a fire. because of this safety issue, owners were instructed to park their cars away from structures to prevent possible fire from spreading. .for the last four months ford has been telling us that parts are unavailable and they do not know when the parts will be available. it seems that ford has no regard for the safety of their customers. they certainly do not care about the inconvenience this is causing their customers. i have been unable to use my garage since january and have been parking my car away from structures and other vehicles. i cannot sell or trade my vehicle. yesterday,ford customer service told me that parts should be available by the second quarter of this year, although they cannot guarantee it. please note, i spoke to ford two months ago and was told parts would be available by april. i am getting the impression this is not at all a priority for ford. please contact ford and find out why nothing is being done to fix this safety issue. please feel free to contact me if you would like any additional information. thank you... updated 05/31/12 *bf consumer states they haven't been able to park in their garage since january and their patience has run its course. consumer had spoken to their insurance company and insurance company may not payout if car catches fire because of ford's negligence. updated 6/6/12 *sd *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact received a recall notice associated with nhtsa campaign id number 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic: antilock: control unit/module). the manufacturer was notified on march 26, 2012 and informed the contact that the part was unavailable. an authorized dealer was recently notified and they were also uncertain when the part would be available. there are no failures at this time.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated the rear lift-gate latch was inoperable. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated nhtsa recall campaign id number: 04v602000 component: latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch was related, however, the vin was not included. the contact will be responsible for the repair cost of $85. the manufacturer was notified and stated the recall did not include her vin. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 140,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated ford told her that the parts for nhtsa recall campaign id number: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic: anti-lock: control unit/module) were not available and the manufacturer did not give a time frame for when the parts would be available. the manufacturer stated that even though it states in the recall that the vehicle may catch fire, it was safe to drive. the current mileage was 100,000. updated 07/06/12 *bf updated 08/02/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle was leaking brake fluid. the contact also stated that he eventually received the recall notice associated with nhtsa campaign id number 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module), which addressed the failure. an authorized dealer and the manufacturer were made aware of the failure and stated that the parts were not available. they were unable to provide a time frame as to when the parts would become available. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 92,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that after receiving notification of nhtsa campaign i.d. number 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module) in january, the manufacturer advised that a second letter would be sent to the contact in april to advised of when the vehicle could be repaired. the contact never received the letter and contacted the local dealer. the dealer stated to the contact that the parts needed to perform the recall repair were not readily available and could not provide an estimated time of availability. the contact was concerned that the vehicle would exhibit one of the recall consequences if the vehicle was not repaired in a reasonable time frame. the vehicle was not serviced. the contact had not experienced a failure.

While filling gas tank heard a loud pop,after arriving at destination had someone look under car and discovered tank straps rusted and broke leaving nothing to hold gas tank in place. no other rusty or rusted parts under car. had dealer repair at a cost of $725. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle was parked outside of her home when she noticed smoke coming from under the hood of the vehicle. the smoke cleared within moments, before the contact could reach the vehicle and investigate. the vehicle was taken and left with the dealer. the dealer later contacted the owner of the vehicle to inform him that the vehicle had exploded while at the dealer and damaged five other vehicles. the vehicle was destroyed. the current and failure mileage was 99,000. updated 05/24/12*lj

Received a recall notice in feb from ford (recall id 12v00500 - issued jan 2012). indicated potential problems with brake fluids leaks that could cause shorts in the abs electronics. we contacted dealer. no parts available yet. our abs and brake indicators came on in march as described in the recall notice. ford still said that recall shows safe to drive, just don't park in the garage due to potential fires. last night, drove home and parked (in the driveway). unloaded some stuff from car... no problems noticed. came out of house about 15 minutes later to unload stuff from car and found it smelling of hot electrical system, and smoke coming from hood. used hose to cool down under hood, while i found wrench and unhooked the battery. smoke was coming from all sides under and behind engine block. once battery disconnected the smoking stopped. calling ford corporate, local dealer, and insurance this morning to see what to do next. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle was included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module). an authorized dealer and the manufacturer were notified and the contact was informed that the parts necessary to remedy the failure were not available. the contact also stated that the brakes shuttered whenever they were applied and the anti lock brake light was illuminated. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 134,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape.the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign id number: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic: antilock: control unit/module) in april 2012. the dealer was contacted and advised that the part needed for recall repairs was on back order and was not aware of when the part would become available. the contact stated that the repair expectations had exceeded a reasonable amount of time. the failure mileage was 140,000 and the current mileage was 147,000.

Rear window exploded while parked. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while parked, the contact attempted to start the vehicle but to no avail. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. the mechanic advised that brake fluid was leaking and caused a short in the brake control module. the brake control module would have to be replaced. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module) but was advised by the manufacturer that the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate mileage was 147,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. after taking the vehicle to the dealer for repairs under nhtsa campaign id number: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module), the contact was informed that the repair parts would not become available until after a six month waiting period. the contact stated that the time involved with having to wait to have the defect repaired was unsatisfactory. the contact had not experienced a failure. the current mileage was 136,000.

Safety recall notice 11s24.it is taking ford way too long to fix the problem.we called them twice and today ford said might not have parts until june. *js

The problem began with the rpms dropping to under 300 when idling at a stop sign or stop light. vehicle would also die with no warning. problem progressed to revving up to over 4000 rpms when in park either at first start or after driving and shifting into park. problem has progressed to surging and revving from normal driving speed of 65 mph and 1500 rpms to 2500 rpms forcing me to brake to keep the vehicle under control or at the posted speed limit. problem has also progressed that when attempting to idle at a stop sign or stop light, rpms will remain elevated at 1500 forcing me to brake very hard to keep the vehicle stopped. when shifting into park the rpms will rev up to 4200 rpms. *tr

On march 7,2012, someone knocked on my door and told me my car was on fire. it had been parked on my carport for over 2 hours.there was an abs recall but i was told by my local dealership that the parts would not be available until at least july, maybe longer.they also informed me that the vehicle would be safe to drive since i had no previous problems with it.the escape was towed to a secured location to be inspected by my insurance and a ford rep. no conclussion @ this time. *tr

Brakes are like hitting a brick sometimes don't stop you have to pump. and it feels like its pushing back . brake light is on. called ford about recall on brake abs and they say we don;t know when we will have the part park the ca. this is dangerous i have only one vehicle and have to drive to get to work. is there no alternative? what else can be done ford gets away with so much!!! will ford reimburse for a rental until this is fixed??

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that she received a recall in regards to nhtsa campaign id numebr 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module ). the manufacturer was notified and the contact was informed that the necessary parts were unavailable. the manufacturer was not able to provide a time table for when the parts would become available. the contact expressed concern because the vehicle was going to be inspected soon and she feared the potential fire hazard. the failure and current mileages were approximately 100,000. the vin was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact was driving 35 mph when there was an abnormal noise and the fuel straps fractured, causing the fuel tank to detach and fall to the ground. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who replaced the fuel straps and the plate that held the fuel tank in place. the manufacturer was notified of the failure who advised the contact that there were no recalls for the failure and offered no further assistance. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 109,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving or passing approximately 55 mph, the accelerator pedal jammed. the contact depressed the brake pedal to the floor, but the vehicle continued to accelerate. the contact was then able to turn the ignition off and stop the vehicle. the vehicle was later towed to an independent mechanic and they informed the contact that the cruise control cable was the cause of the failure. the cruise control cable was disconnected to remedy the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 147,000. updated 04/19/2012*lj the consumer stated the cruise control cable was disconnected after the 4th occurrence.updated 04/30/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign id number: 12v005000 for the vehicle. the contact called her nearest dealer and was advised that the parts for the recall repair would not become available until april 2012. prior to receiving the recall notice, the contact was traveling 10 mph when she attempted to apply the brakes but the vehicle would not respond and the brake pedal dropped to the floorboard abnormally. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the brake lines were replaced. the vehicle was not diagnosed by an authorized dealer. the current and the failure mileages were 100,000.

Cpsc#i1220674a. 2002 ford escape. consumer stated she received a letter informing here there was a safety recall 11s24 on her car. *ln the consumer stated the recall was for a faulty abs relay. the consumer was informed the parts would not be available until late spring 2012. the consumer was advised to park the vehicle outdoors away from structures, as the defect could result in a fire even after the vehicle was turned off. *jb updated voq 03/15/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the brakes failed. the dealer advised the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recall # 07e023000. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 155,000. updated 04/06/12*lj the consumer stated brake fluid was leaking from the master cylinder. updated 04/16/12

Took the vehicle into ford to adjust brakes because the felt mushy and pedal traveled to the floor. ford adjusted the brakes, found a cracked brake line, and bleed the brakes and charged $260. two weeks later the same problem occurred. left the car at ford this time they say a faulty master cylinder which is another $280. now of course they claim this has nothing to do with the recall for the leaking master cylinder cap. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated the manufacturer told them that the parts for nhtsa recall campaign id number: 12v005000 (survive brakes, hydraulic: anti-lock: control unit module) will not be available until april and does not know if the parts will be available or not. the contact stated this was not satisfactory because the recall stated the vehicle could catch fire. the current mileage was 95,000. updated 03/14/12 *bf

2002 ford escape. consumer writes in regards to safety recall after 10 years. *tgw

The car had the original plugs in it at the time of the first incident. it had always ran great so we had no reason to change them. while driving down the road it went from fine to a loud bang and running terrible sounding like it had open headers. the spark plug blew out of the head breaking that cylinder 3 coil pack as well. we had it heli coiled and changed the plugs torqueing them to spec with a torque wrench and changing all the coil packs as well just because, about 30000 miles later (2-21-12) it happened again on cylinder 6. obviously this is a casting issue with the head being too thin at the plug threads. i have researched this and it is extremely common online. please have them recall. *tr

Received notice from ford regarding safety recall 11s24 for escape 2002 dated january 2012. advised not to park car near any structures to prevent a potential fire from spreading in unlikely event that your abs module develops an electrical short. ford dealer inspection performed 2/9/2012 states car will need safety recall parts but will not be available for 45 days or later. contacted ford mfg, customer service supervisor tried to locate parts- unavailable. supervisor says notice is not official yet, there are no implementation plans or parts available for older cars, no repair procedures available. offered to help me qualify for a new car and work with local dealership. 2nd offer to place aftermarket parts at my cost and apply for reimbursement/partial reimbursement/no reimbursement based on if the recall is going to go through. is this official or not official, and is ford releasing themselves of liability if there is property damage and that is the nature of the letter. *tr

Approximately a year ago, feb. 2011, i noticed the truck lift gate and window was not working properly. i thought maybe because of the snow and cold weather it was frozen. the next few weeks it worked on and off. then after a month or so it stopped working at all. i searched to see if there was a recall on this part and there was one, i called ford but they said my vin was not on their list of recalls for that problem so i was out of luck and one year later it still does not work. i cannot open or close the rear lift door or the window above it. two mechanics looked at the problem and said only ford can replace the part. the panels on the door must be removed to get to the mechanism. the part costs about $15.00 but labor costs will be around $400.00 i researched this defect and found that many people have had the same problem with this model and year. *kb

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 65 mph, the vehicle decreased while depressing the accelerator pedal. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they diagnosed that the catalytic converter was clogged. the vehicle was repaired with a new catalytic converter. the failure mileage was 142,000 and the current mileage was 143,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact received the recall notice associated with nhtsa campaign id number 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module). the contact expressed concern because the parts were not available and the contact was instructed not to operate the vehicle because it could catch on fire. the vehicle was the only mode of transportation for the contact. the dealer was notified, but did not have the parts available to perform repairs. the manufacturer was not notified. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were approximately 90,000.

I have received a notice from ford m.c. that my ford 2002 escape can spontaneously catch fire and burn my house down while turned off inside my garage or while running, therefore i should stop parking the vehicle near any house structures. when i called ford, i'm told that the vehicle is otherwise safe, while it is scheduled to be repaired sometime in quarter #2 of this year. how safe does this sound to you..??? i have detected the hot smell odors referred to within the letter (recall notice) & am concerned that the government is giving ford too much slack in resolving a matter that appears to be quite volatile (pun intended). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that after starting the vehicle, burning oil fumes were emitted into the vehicle through the vents. the contact mentioned that the brake warning lamp was illuminated and that he was constantly replenishing the brake fluid reservoir. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 12v005000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module ). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 134,000.

I crashed on november 24th of 2010 due to not being able to stop fast enough because of my anti lock brakes. hurt someone in the process,had to pay fines and court costs and an accident on my perfect record because i was at fault for running into them. and i was left with a totaled truck i had to sell to pay for fines and now i found out there was a recall on my anti lock brakes which explains why it wasn't working right.... *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to accelerate from a stop and would not accelerate beyond 2 mph. the vehicle eventually began to accelerate at normal rates of speed. the failure recurred whenever the contact accelerated from a stop. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that a computer chip within the vehicle needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired and the failure continued. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 58,448.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic: antilock: control unit/ module ); however the part was unavailable to perform the recall remedy repair. the contact was displeased to know the dealer and manufacturer were unable to state when the part would become available. the contact had not experienced a failure related to the recall, although there was concern of the safety issue. the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in a residential garage when it became engulfed in flames. there was damage to the contact's home as a result of the fire. the owner received minor burns to his hands from trying to exit the residence safely. the fire and police departments were called and advised that the fire had originated from the anti-lock braking system. the manufacturer was contacted and they sent an investigator to access the damages. there was no response from the manufacturer as of yet. the vehicle was destroyed. the failure mileage was approximately 30,000. updated 01/13/12*lj updated 01/20/12

Yesterday i drove around town running errands in my 2002 ford escape and it was fine. came home last night (temperature outside was around 27 degrees outside) and parked it in garage. when i went out to garage next day (14 hours later) to leave again i noticed my ford escape had it's back glass that was completely shattered out of it and all over the floor of the garage. all doors to garage were shut and locked. this explosion of glass happened all by itself after being parked there the night before. also have an issue with air bag light and check fuel cap light that has both been staying on and cannot get either to stay off!! worried vehicle is gonna fall apart some day before i get my child to his school one morning..not dependable vehicle after all!! :( seems i have read many many other complaints online about these problems from escape owners wanting to know..are there no recalls for the backglass?? or even anything else for this vehicle?? feeling unsafe for my child to ride in now!! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated while driving approximately 15 mph on an icy surface, the driver applied the brakes and the anti lock braking system did not engage. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop and the contact was informed that the anti lock brake module had burned. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module). no further assistance was provided. the failure mileage was 95,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape xlt. the contact stated that as the accelerator was released, the vehicle maintained speed and did not slow down and the rpms maintained an abnormally high reading. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer, but the manufacturer was contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 79,000 and the current mileage was 80,000. updated 11/23/11*bf

Vehicle was parked in yard when smoke started coming out from under the hood. we raised hood and saw wires on fire under the master cylinder. we put the fire out. wires from abs system caught on fire *tr

In march 2004 while driving at a low rate of speed, i clipped the corner of a parked vehicle which caused my ford escape to overturn. no airbags deployed. in september 2009 while entering a freeway during a heavy rainstorm, driving at a low rate of speed, the escape hydro planed, slammed into the cement barrier rendering the vehicle useless. despite the vehicle having spun multiple times and being slammed into the barrier at such an impact the transmission dropped several inches, no airbags deployed. this vehicle was purchased new from butterfield ford in salt lake, at a cost of $22, 200. in the 5+ years of owning this vehicle, i spent more than $10,000 in repairs - for a brand new vehicle. despite my pleas to the dealer ship, i was never provided any remedy. despite a dpf sensor going out 3 times and only being covered once by warranty, calipers going out and then brakes shortly after the vehicles warranty expires which ford will not cover despite the calipers having just been replaced. the exhaust manifold, the latch to the tail gate did not work. this vehicle was a lemon and ford never even tried to provide a remedy. my primary concern, the air bags did not deploy despite the vehicle turning over during the first accident nor when i hit a cement barrier with such force the transmission dropped several inches. *tr

Metal straps holding up the gas tank rusted and broke on july 28, 2011 while filling the gas tank. had to have it towed to dealership where they replaced the two metal straps on august 1, 2011. on august 2, 2011 a recall was issued for the same problem on similar ford vehicles that were manufactured during the same year. dealership confirmed it was the same problem that was cited in the recall and stated that i was very lucky that i was not driving the vehicle at the time this occurred. *tr

Abs warning indicator illuminated, 25a fuse blown- upon replacement smoke and sparks from abs module connector, inspection reveals melted connector cover and wiring harness, corroded wire terminals and also a wire arcing at a break inside the connector cover. the 60a fuse was removed to isolate the abs system fault for a limp home. ed mullinax ford service department acknowledges abs module recall; however, dealership denies applicable to this vehicle. *tr

On rt. 59, just south of northwest hwy (rt. 14) in barrington, my 2002 ford escape xlt was involved in a bizarre incident or accident. while sitting static on level road in a line of traffic with a train-crossing barrier arm keeping traffic safely waiting for the train to pass, my vehicle lurched forward in an unintended acceleration while my foot was firmly pressing on the brake pedal. the engine raced at >= 4000 rpm. with continued braking action on my part with no vehicle response, the passenger-side front end of my vehicle hit the 1988 ford f150 truck immediately in front of me. as a side note, i had the 2005 ford recall work performed on the defective accelerator cable, with the cable replacement at packey webb ford dealership service center in wheaton, illinois. there is a safety-hazard risk associated with the vehicle, and i refuse to drive this vehicle even if the approximately $4000.00 damages are repaired, which i have not authorized. i am an experience computer it software/hardware professional, as well as an engineering design controls expert in the health care industry, working for a major product manufacturer (software and hardware). there is a definite safety risk associated with this vehicle make/model, and i want to report this incident to the proper agency. the insurance company, ford dealership, and the authorized service center have done nothing to identify the root cause for the vehicle malfunction on design defect; they only treat this as a loss and did not perform initial computer diagnostics prior to compromising the vehicle in their actions to appraise damages to the vehicle. i need this incident properly investigated and reported to the public if a safety risk is confirmed. *kb

Tl* the contact owns 2002 ford escape. the contact stated while driving 35 mph the brake warning light illuminated on the instrument panel and the contact smelled something burning. the contact drove the vehicle to a local mechanic who stated the wires that were connected to the brakes master cylinder had melted. the mechanic also informed the contact of nhtsa recall number 07e023000 (service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder) and the contact called the manufacturer. the manufacturer informed the contact that the vin was not included in the recall. the contact stated this was a manufacturers defect that could have resulted in a crash. the failure mileage was 124,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while parked the contact noticed the vehicle was engulfed in flames. the fire department reported to the scene and a report was filed. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated an inspector would go out to inspect the vehicle. the vehicle was destroyed. the cause of the fire had not been determined. the contact stated the vehicle was included in the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module). the vehicle was taken to the dealer for repairs but the technicians stated repairs were not needed. the contact stated the fire began where the abs module was located and believed the fire was caused by the abs module. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 147,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated the vehicle was parked for approximately one hour when it caught fire. the fire department arrive and extinguished the fire. an independent mechanic examined the vehicle and stated that the anti lock brake module caused the fire. the vehicle was not repaired and had not been moved since the fire. the failure and current mileage was 153,000.

2002 ford escape. catalytic converter problem. problem began last week when dpfe tubes came off and dpfe sensor melted. the next day the valve next to the dpfe sensor blew a hole and all parts were replaced. the next day one of the dpfe tubes came off again. this was replaced again. the next day the car did not have good gas power. when going up a small incline the car would not go past 40 mph. went to car repair shop and o2 sensor was removed to see if it was the catalytic converter. this car has 3 catalytic converters. this car is at another car repair shop now to see what the cause is for the catalytic converter(s) to go bad. one repair shop advised that this is a common problem with ford escapes. i contacted ford motor company and was told that there have been no recalls for this problem. i went out to the ford forum and there are entries from 2007 to present with many 2002 escape owners that have experienced the same problems that i am experiencing. this problem can cause major engine problems that could cause an accident. no engine light has come since the dpfe tubes and sensor and valve was replaced. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph the lower control arm detached from the vehicle and the front passenger side wheel pointed sideways, causing the driver to loose control of the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to the dealer, who stated that the failure was due to corrosion. as a result, the front subframe assembly and the lower control arms needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance because the vehicle was not included in any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 78,000. updated 11/22/11*lj updated 03/13/12

One alloy wheel rim original to my 2002 ford escape have pin-size holes which causes air to constantly escape leading to potential safety issue. incident date is when diagnostics from service technician was reported to me. *tr

In december 2010 took my ford escape into my service center to have the brakes looked at when the abs light came on and the brake pressure felt sluggish. they found and replaced a bad tone ring on the left front axle. now six months later june 2011 the abs light comes on again with the brake pedal pulsating at times. i took it back to the service center again and they had to do the same thing on the right side front. i feel that this is a safety issue. if someone would stop short in front of me or cut me off and i would have to slam on my brakes, i feel that someone could be seriously hurt. i feel that ford should recall the 2002 escape for this reason.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that vehicle caught on fire. the fire was extinguished by the local fire department and a fire report was filed. the vehicle was towed to a local repair facility where the vehicle was ruled as destroyed. the failure was contributed to the abs module. the contact stated that the abs module was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 07v156000 (service brakes: hydraulic: antilock: control unit module) july 7, 2007. the failure and current mileage was 130,000.

On or about june 17, 2011, my 2002 ford escape was parked and the ignitition was in the off position when my car alarm went off. when i looked outside i observed smoke bellowing out from under the hood. the next day, i was able to get my vehicle to dealer, where they diagnosed the abs module has overheated and needs to be replaced. i was given an estimate of $720.00 to repair the problem. upon further investigation i have discovered that the service brakes, hydraulic: antilock; control unit module was recalled by ford (#07s51)on april 23, 2007 and continues to be open. i was in contact with service manager for dealer on or about june 30th to follow up on the work they had done in may 2007 concerning this problem. he informed me that when they inspected the vehicle in 5/07, there was no problem and that it was properly inspected, and they placed grease on it , and are not willing to pay for this repair. on or about july 1, 2011, submitted a claim to the ford motor co. regarding this repair at no cost to me. upon further inspection, has also discovered another recall problem (nhtsa #07e023000)service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinder and that brake fluid has leaked from the rear of master cylinder and has leaked on the vehicle into the power brake booster. i have been experiencing no brakes when i put my foot on the brake pedel. despite these recall problems being invesitgated, neither ford motor company feel that they are not responsible for the repairs and have told me i must bare the enormous costs for these repairs on my own and/or drive the vehicle unsafely. i have been stranded in prescott, az for over 3 weeks, and am tired of wrangling with all three dealership/companies and need your help in investigating this situation! thank you! *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the rear window hinge for the tail gate detached from the vehicle while the tail gate was ajar. the glass window struck the contact in the head but the contact was not injured. the contact called the manufacturer regarding the hinge and they stated that there were no recalls for the failure. the contact stated that the rear window could have caused serious injuries. the failure mileage was 93,000.

My abs system was coming on while stopping for no apparent reason. when i took vehicle to dealer, they said i had a cracked tone ring. i had the same tone ring replaced 4 years ago. of course it wasn't under warranty. $400 later, it is fixed... *tr

While accelerating on an on-ramp entering a state highway, traffic ahead of me came to a stop. i went from applying pressure on the gas pedal to immediately moving my right foot to the brake pedal to apply pressure. the brake pedal gave very little resistance. i depressed the pedal all the way to the floor of the vehicle. my vehicle came to a very slow stop as if i was only lightly depressing the brake. my tires did not skid as i would expect and the vehicle took several seconds to finally come to a very slow and gradual stop. the stop was so slow and gradual that i could not even feel momentum pushing my body forward as usually experienced when suddenly braking.

I drove my vehicle home from work (less than 5 miles). when i pulled into my driveway and parked my vehicle, smoke began to pour out from the engine compartment. when i opened the hood there were flames directly in front of the driver side near the fire wall. these flames were originating from the abs module location.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated while the vehicle was parked in the garage, the engine caught fire. the fire department stated that the fire initiated in the engine compartment. a fire department report was filed. the manufacturer fiwas made aware of the failure and the insurance company was investigating the cause of failure. the failure and the current mileage was 110,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact was driving 60 mph when sparks started to shoot from under the hood. the contact was able to rapidly move the vehicle from off the roadway and as the hood was lifted, the contact noticed that the engine was on fire. the police and the fire department were dispatched to extinguish the fire. a police report was available. the vehicle was towed back to the contacts residence and the vehicle was deemed as destroyed. the vehicle was not inspected for the cause of the engine fire but the fire department advised that the fire could potentially have been caused by an electrical failure. the failure and current mileages were unknown. updated 9/16/11 *cn updated 2/9/12 *cn

Abs module connector caught fire while car was parked. recall for abs module connector inspection was completed 7/6/2007. brought vehicle back in 1/7/2008 due to abs light remaining on. no mention of abs, noted rotors below specs and brake pads need replacing.

Gas tank shield and straps are rusted so badly that there is a 5" x 6" hole in the gas tank shield. the straps holding the shield are also badly rusted. *tr

Brakes would feel like they were fading and then abs felt like it was working. no warning lights would come on. dealer found cracked abs tone rings. an 800 dollar repair. *tr

April 25, 2001 i drove the car 5 minutes to the local pool and car was parked for about an hour. |then drove friend back home from local pool to her house about a 5 minute drive, i then turned the car ignition was off, suddenly there was smoke coming from under the engine compartment area. tried to open hood, grey smoke billowed out from under the hood, then sparks fell on the pavement from under the car and then flames burst out through the open crack of the hood. the fire seemed spontaneous, there was a burning smell like dirty air just before the smoke started. fire department, police and ambulance were called. it had never occurred before the car was towed to a local body shop and was taken to another location by the insurance company. i know that recall work was done on the car twice and can verify with the service department. i believe that work was done on the brakes and the gas pedal as instructed in the recall notices. i believe the car is still being examined by the insurance investigators as of may 8, 2011. i have been informed by the insurance appraiser that the vehicle is a complete write off. *tr

Have noticed on more than one occasion that the superlatch on our xtsl is loosening to a very unsafe level. it is installed forward-facing and child does not touch that part of the seat getting in or out. when i've checked the security of the seat, it will wobble at the bottom back & forth by 3-5 inches. tightening it only fixes it temporarily so it is not an installation problem, it is a failure of the superlatch. i'm very concerned about my child's safety in the event of a car accident. i will be switching the seat back to our other car, a 2010 fusion sel as i did not notice it in that car, but i will be monitoring it very closely. (related vehicle information: model year=2002, make=ford, model=escape). *tr

Front lower sub-frame is rotted out and the vehicle is unsafe to drive. (my service garage, who have maintained my vehicle continuously since i bought it, says this is very premature for this condition to occur.)

2002 ford escape electrical fire. vehicle had been driven that day, but had gone less than a mile when it was noted the suv had a smoky smell and we pulled over. within minutes the entire engine compartment was involved. it appeared to start near the battery, the battery was approximately 8 weeks old. *tr

My airbag light keeps coming on every time i start my ford escape. upon review of this it's been on complaint websites several times by hundreds of people. how many of these people need to die due to malfunction of the air bags before we have a recall. this light has been on since i've owned the vehicle. also my window stopped going up. the dipstick can't give a clear reading of the oil amount. these things lead to death, constant and costly repair, and constant problems. *tr

Driving to dover de. pulled into gas station outside lancaster pa for fuel. filled tank and went to pull away from pump. heard something dragging and found fuel tank strap had snapped and left fuel tank dragging on driveshaft. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 40 mph the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who stated that the transmission was defective. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 150,000.

Abs light came on as did the brake service light. found a recall notice and called ford. they stated my vehicle was not part of the notice and it did not matter if my vehicle had the identical issues with the abs module. they basically said they would do nothing unless a new recall notice was issued for the same problem from others whose vehicles were not included in the first recall! never again ford. never. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact was driving approximately 5 mph when the abs light waning illuminated and the contact detected an abnormal burning odor. the failure recurred sporadically but was not taken to the dealer or a mechanic for the failure. she referenced the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number: 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic:anti lock:control unit/module) and contacted the manufacturer who advised that her vehicle was not included in the recall. the failure mileage was 105,000 and the current mileage was 106,000.

The vehicle was parked in the driveway. while turning the ignition to start, there was a catastrophic engine explosion. the hood largely contained the fire. luckily no one was injured and the fire did not last long and did not spread to the surroundings. a tow truck was called and the repair shop technician found the "intake manifold had blown to pieces". a code on the system indicated a misfire on cylinder 5. the vehicle was repaired for $1720, including cam position sensor, intake manifold, and ignition coil, relating to the incident.

After reading the below report, we took our 2002 ford escape to golden circle ford in jackson tn. we were informed that they had never heard of this report. our master cylinder has brake fluid leaking all around it and even leaves spots in the garage. my complaint is that it seems one hand has no idea what the other is doing. these reports need to also go to the dealership service departments so they can be familiar with problems with their products. to date, our problem still has not been resolved. component: service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder details: certain cardone master cylinders with date codes lower than dca7078 sold as replacement equipment for use on the vehicles listed above. the seal on master cylinder can fail and leak brake fluid. consequence: loss of brake fluid can result in poor braking performance, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the brakes failed while he was driving 15 mph. the brake light illuminated at the time of the failure. the contact had the emergency brake service six months prior to the failure but the abs light illuminated the day before the failure. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who replaced the master cylinder and brake booster. the vin was unavailable. the current and failure mileages were 103,689.

My 2002 ford escape was bought new in march of 2002. the problem with it accelerating at low speeds started about 6-7 months later. returned to the dealership many times to have it checked but was told every time there was nothing wrong. i've had one accident as a result of this problem. i still own the same escape and still have the problem with it . i was told that there were no complaints of this nature with these models but have since learned that there have been many. i also as have many people had the problem with the air-bag light on .again many trips to the dealer and was told nothing was wrong about $300 later for labor costs. finally on one more attempt to find out what was wrong i returned to the dealer again and was told that a sensor in the seat-belt was the problem and it would cost approximately $300-$400 to repair it and that the air bags may or may not be working because of this sensor. i have personally lost all faith in ford canada and their products and some of the employees at the dealerships i've dealt with. i am in the process i buying a new car but it's not a ford. never again will i buy a ford

Our rear hatch window on our 2002 ford escape xls exploded overnight while sitting undisturbed in our garage. it had been sitting for 10 hours in our enclosed garage when it exploded for no reason. the temperature outside was in the single digits. i'm wondering if the rear defrost wasn't cut off when the car was shut off? when i started the car after the window shattered the rear defrost was on. there are other reports on the internet with similar occurrences. rear window exploding on ford escapes sounds common. insurance company is suppose to be in contact with me, but i imagine we will be paying most of the repair out of pocket since we haven't met a deductible. *tr

Spark plug blew out of the head which also broke the ignition coil housing. i tapped the spark plug hole in the head to accept a "heli-coil" insert and reinstalled the spark plug. also had to replace the coil to securely mount the ignition coil. fix appears to be working... for now.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. when the contact applied the brakes at a traffic light, the brake pedal extended to floor causing the contact to crash into a light pole at 25 mph. the air bags failed to deploy. the vehicle was towed to the contacts home. the vehicle had not been inspected, but the contact was certain that the vehicle was destroyed. the contact referenced nhtsa recall campaign 07v156000, service brakes unit control module; however, the recall repair was performed two years prior to the crash and the repair caused the crash to occur. the failure and current mileages were 220,000. updated 3/8/11 *cn updated 12/14/11 *cn

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph, she heard a metal noise. when she opened the passenger front door, it fell on her foot. she was able to put the door back in place. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who stated that the front passenger door pin had been installed upside down. the dealer replaced the door pin and hinge assembly. the current and failure mileages were 114,083. updated 02/17/11*lj updated 12/06/2011 *ln

2002 ford escape xlt caught fire while parked. vehicle was totaled. *kb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the vehicle was parked and then shut off when he noticed that the wiring harness for the abs brake module was melting. the vehicle was not repaired nor was the failure diagnosed. an authorized dealer was notified and was also informed that his vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 07v156000, service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module. the failure and current mileages were 96,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving the contact smelled smoke, and noticed that the smoke initiated under the hood. the contact examined the vehicle and noticed that the abs module was burned. the dealer was contacted and stated that the vin wasn't included in recall 07v156000 service brakes, hydraulic: anti-lock, control unit/module. the manufacturer will be notified. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 90,900.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for routine maintenance where the dealer located severe corrosion at the vehicle under-body, muffler and differential system. the manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty therefore they would not assist with the repair. the vehicle was repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 76,000. updated 01/06/11. *lj updated 02/07/11

2002 ford escape cold parked, key-off vehicle fire - total loss uninsured and ford so far has refused compensation. *tr

This complaint is to regarding ford motor company and the cd4e automatic transmission. this is by far the worst transmission ever built. i have a ford escape and a mazda 626 and both have needed the transmission rebuilt this year. the ford 4 times before it would work right. i wish that the government would not let auto manufacturers built defective vehicles and parts and make them own up to it if they do. i wonder how many thousands of dollars consumers have had to lay out to fix these horrible transmissions. *tr

The straps which hold up the gas tank on my 2002 ford escape are rusted and have snapped in half due to severe corrosion. the front strap is just hanging there. ford said there is no recall. *tr

Purchased vehicle was used around town for 4 days on the forth day drove on hwy way at 65 mph the overdrive light came on flashing car failed to shift out of gear. pulled off road turned off. found car leaking automatic transmission fluid and would no longer go into gear once it had been shut off. is currently at transmission shop the are attempting to find what the issue is. vehicle is a 2002 ford escape. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that when he went to get in the vehicle, he smelled an odor of burning plastic. when he started the vehicle, the abs light illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle had previously been repaired according to recall 07v156000 (abs control unit module). the wiring harness connector was examing and a lubricant was injected at that time. the contact did not had no failures with the vehicle until after the repairs were performed. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who identified the failure and stated that the repair expenses would have to be paid at the owner¿s expense. the contact planned to call the manufacturer. the current and failure mileages were approximately 102,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that there was an abnormal burning odor emitting from the vehicle. the cruise control, abs and check engine warning lights suddenly illuminated as smoke begin emitting from the front end of the vehicle. the contact then noticed that the vehicle was on fire as flames poured from under the hood. the fire was extinguished but independently re-ignited . the fire department was called and extinguished the fire. a police/fire report was available. the vehicle was then towed to the contact's residence. the vehicle was not repaired and had not been driven since the failure. the contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. the current and failure mileage was approximately 134,000.

My wife's 02 ford escape (with less than 50k miles) just had one of the gas tank straps break due to corrosion. major fire/safety hazard if the gas tank hits the ground. very similar issue known with f150. the dealer is charging us $1k to fix!!! this same car is also in the shop every other month for a faulty airbag switch/relay that we've spent hundreds of dollars to fix. the ford motor company makes me sick! why is it so hard for these guys to do the right thing? it blows my mind. *tr

Transmission failure at 104,000 miles. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while the vehicle was parked the contact heard the alarm, looked under the hood and saw a fire in the abs area. the mechanic diagnosis located the failure as the abs wiring harness. the manufacturer will be contacted. the failure and the current mileages were 150,000.

While starting the engine after overnight parking, a loud explosion was heard and white smoke was seen coming from under the hood. the ignition was immediately turned off. examination of the engine revealed a damaged decorative cover over the intake manifold and shattered intake manifolds. two spark coils were later found to be damaged by the explosion. the heads were reconditioned as ignition leakage thru the unseated valves was a factor contributing to the ignition of the residual gases in the intake manifold. secondary contribution was the original intake manifold was of an old style and not capable of withstanding the backfire force. a new, modified composite intake manifold was available but not on a recall. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the air bag light stayed illuminated and would not shut off. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they stated that they repaired the vehicle but the light continued to illuminate. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 94,959.

Recall on 2002 ford escape for the anti-lock brake recall number 07v-156 i had this recall done at long ford in eureka, mo. october 13, 2008. on august 7, 2010 the wire burnt on this and was taken to a repair shop where they had to replace the module. ford said that they had already fulfilled their obligation and would not fix the problem. the consumer stated the vehicle started smoking. updated ivoq 09./08/10*jb *tr

My 2002 ford escape had to have a transmission replaced. at 74,000 miles it was blown. i had it towed to a repair shop and asked for his opinion. it was blown. he called about a replacement and was told the dealer kept many replacements for 2002 escapes because of failures. i bought ford because i always loved and bought fords. but 3,3300.00 later, ford has a problem. the car runs better now and even gets 5 miles per gallon better on gas. ford has a problem as countless people have expressed. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated the vehicle was being serviced by an independent mechanic when he as advised that the abs needed replacing. the contact stated the abs was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic: antilock: control unit/module). the manufacturer advised that because the vehicle was previously repaired under recall, and further repairs would be at the contact¿s expense. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 200,130.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact sated that the transmission failed. the contact stated that the transmission did not show signs of slipping before it failed. the vehicle was inspected by a certified technician who stated that the core of the transmission had failed. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileages were 130,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that when starting the vehicle, it would stall without warning. he was able to restart the vehicle and drive in reverse at speeds as low as 5 mph; yet, the vehicle would accelerate while driving in reverse. when the contact previously experienced the failure he was able to stop the vehicle by depressing the brake pedal. the vehicle was taken to a local repair facility where it was diagnosed with defective idle control valves. the mechanic replaced the idle control valves and jumper harness and reprogrammed the central computer. the failure did not persist after the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 104,946.

Ref.: 2002 ford escape on july 22 the car was in the driveway, not running, my son was washing it. it started billowing smoke from the engine compartment without cause. he lifted the hood, watered down the area that was burning. it started and we put it in the garage. the next morning my wife entered our garage, at about 7:00 am, the garage was engulfed in smoke with a smell of burnt rubber. i drove the ford out on to the drive way. now it malfunctioned, the abs and engine check light were on. i searched the internet. when i typed in ¿smoke coming for the engine compartment of a 2002 ford escape¿ it sent me to a nhtsa website where listed were many 2002 ford escapes that had for no reason caught fire. the problem stated was the abs brake system with recalls on this year, make and model of ford. i contacted the dealer and was informed that ford escapes had no problems and not on a recall list. i later called them back and gave them a recall number. i was advised that his was not one of the vehicles covered by that recall. i called my insurance company and they suggested a diagnosis by local ford dealer to determine problem. i had it towed to the dealer and it was the abs brake system. my wife is now afraid of it, because it is dangerous and afraid it will burst into flames. i received a letter from ford motor company office of the general counsel claims department p.o box 70, dearborn, michigan 48121-0070 where i an directed to perform a full complete investigation for them with pictures of the entire vehicle, damaged parts, copy of pink slip, registration, complete account of incident, repair receipts or estimates and letter of denial of the insurance company claim. if the insurance company settles the claim they will not cover the vehicle. i have 90 days to respond before they close the case. my insurance company states they will only repair what burnt and not get my vehicle to function as it did prior to it catching fire. *tr

My driver's side headlight went out. i went to the local autozone to get a replacement bulb. when i removed the headlight plug, it looked like it was melted. i removed and installed a new light bulb. i then tested the new bulb to make sure it worked. it did not turned on. the headlight plug seems like it melted at some point. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated the vehicle was parked and erupted into flames without warning. the fire and police department were called to the scene. the fire department extinguished the flames. the fire originated from the engine compartment. the vehicle was towed to the residence. the vehicle had been taken to the dealer prior to the failure for an unknown repair regarding the anti-lock brake system warning light indicator illumination. the vehicle remained at the dealer for five days to perform the service repair. the contact stated at the time of the complaint the vehicle had not been inspected by the insurance company to declare whether the vehicle was completely destroyed; and to determine the cause of failure. the failure mileage and vin were unavailable.

The accelerator on my 2002 ford escape v6 stuck and would not release. upon trying to manually "pull" the accelerator free, the vehicle continued to accelerate faster. speeds reached 70 mph and the brakes would not slow the vehicle. i shifted the vehicle into neutral, and slowly applied the parking brake to slow the vehicle. the engine kept racing at 6000 rpm's. upon finding a safe place to pull off the side of the road, i turned off the ignition and drifted to the side road. i had the vehicle towed to the local ford dealership. they are not admitting to any problems/issues. i called ford motor co. as well to no avail, even though there are numerous reports of this occurring on the internet. i am convinced that if my wife was driving with the children, she would have crashed the vehicle. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the rear lift gage back window was broken. the dealer was contacted and stated that they could not assist her with any information regarding the parts to be repair the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 70000.

My 2002 ford escape caught fire while parked and was recorded as a total loss. the consumer stated the fire started under the hood. updated 06/23/10 *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving at 55 mph, the vehicle independently accelerated. the contact moved switched to neutral gear and moved the vehicle off the roadway. he was able to stop the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the contact was awaiting a diagnosis of the failure. the failure and current mileages were 64,111. updated 07/29/10 *bf the consumer stated the cruise control cable became stuck. the consumer has since traded the vehicle. updated 09/07/10*jb

My 2002 ford escape caught fire while i was asleep. luckily a neighbor saw the fire and started to wet down my house and we then both attempted to put the fire out. we were not able to and had to call the fire department. i asked for an investigation and the fire marshall pointed me to ford recall (# 07s51) of which i was not informed of. i had an appointment at the ford dealership for my abs/brake light on. *tr

No events leading to this... it just started about 2 yrs ago summer of 08. clunking noise in the front of car. can be felt by the steering wheel (which also has the squeaking problem). occurs only when the temperature outside is warm. went to the ford dealer several times complaining of this... never was able to recreate the problem. finally had both left and right arm assembly link, bolt, hex for front suspension replaced june 09. on sept 09 noise returned and had everything tightened, lubed. problem went away until again the weather warmed up then is now back worse than ever. not only when turning the wheel but when driving straight. *tr

May 9, 2010 my 2002 ford escape was parked in the parking lot where i work at 9 am. at 2 pm a co - worker came into my store and told me my car alarm was going off and there was smoke coming from underneath. i grabbed my keys and went outside. i tried to turn off the alarm and unlock the door with the remote but it would not work. a man took my keys and unlocked it manually and opened the hood. i got a fire extinguisher from the restaurant kitchen and took it out and they used it to put out the flames coming from the underside of the engine. we disconnected the battery cables and i called the dealership. they sent a truck to pick up my vehicle on may 10th. after inspection, they told me the abs module malfunctioned and started the fire. i told them it was recalled in 07 and i had it repaired. they called ford and filed a claim on my behalf but it was denied because i had it repaired on the recall. *tr

Abs connector melted and ford cant fix problem because parts are not available {wire loom} this car was part of a recall for this same problem in 2007 but recall was just a visual inspection. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while the vehicle was parked with the engine off, the vehicle caught on fire. the contact stated the fire started from under the hood and spread to a second vehicle. both vehicles were destroyed by the fire. a police and fire report were filed accordingly. the contact located a nhtsa recall campaign id number 07v156000 (brakes, hydraulic: anti lock: control unit/module) that could potentially cause a fire in his vehicle and contacted the manufacturer. the manufacturer advised the recall repairs were performed on the vehicle by the previous owner. the failure and current mileages were 140,000.

2002 ford escape was recalled for several reasons. something with the power train, the cruise control, the abs system..... finally it caught on fire. the engine was melted. fire and police department got there. contacted ford and they just said we will record your call on your profile. don't understand how lives and property have been lost and ford doesn't do anything about it. *tr

I drove my 2002 ford escape to church sunday morning, about 5 miles, when the abs light came on. the car had not been previously driven that day. we parked the car and went in for services that morning and at the end of mass were called to the back by the priest who informed me that there was a fire. sure enough the local fire department was there and had extinguished a fire in the engine compartment. the official report stated the fire originating in the cruise control/ brake fluid reservoir area. the escape was a total write-off. all recalls pertaining to the abs/cruise systems were serviced about 2 years previous to this event.

In january of 2010 i opened the back hatch on my 2002 ford escape and when i shut the door the glass shattered. then 3 months later i was driving down the road and the back passenger door glass shattered. my dog was in the back and luckily he was ok but if there had been a child in the seat they would have been severely injured. glass should not just shatter like this. since the incidents i have replaced both windows and paid for it out of pocket.

I have a 2002 ford escape that has a recall on the brake module, i tried to get ford to pay for the repair. i had two certified mech,tell me ford has a recall on the brake module and it is a defective from manufacture. i asked ford to just replace the part and i would pay for the labor,they refuse to help. ihad to fix master cyclinderalso. plus all four catalytic converts which was on a recall i paid for repairs myself. i want ford to pay me for all recall repairs. ford needs to stop lying to the people and just fix the mistakes. *tr

Gas gauge reads between 1/2 & 1/4, car ran out of gas this morning. aaa brought gas, i went to a gas station and filled the tank. gas gauge still reads only 1/2 full. *tr

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) i am requesting that you obtain a history on the *flex hose* for the ford escape. my daughter owns a 2002 ford escape and on friday march 5,2010 narrowly escaped a major tragedy. she was traveling with her two children when she was required to stop at a railway crossing as a train was approaching. she was successful in coming to a complete stop, however, at that precise moment her brake pedal went right to the floor board. she was fortunate to be ale to move her vehicle out of harms way. we went to a nearby service station and requested the mechanic make arrangements to tow the vehicle and make the necessary repairs. when we informed him what the problem was and what type of vehicle was involved, he informed us (without having seen the vehicle) that he had no doubt it would be the *flex hose*. he informed us that the ford escape was notorious for that problem. he researched and confirmed there was no call back. when he returned the vehicle to us, he showed us where one of the flex hoses had blown, where another one should have blown and that the other two were within kilometers of being blown. this is a terrible and dangerous situation. i am amazed no accidents have not already happened due to the *flex hose* safety issue. for the safety of all concerned, please ensure that this matter is researched an appropriate steps taken. [xxx] *tr

I am very unhappy. i got in my 2002 ford escape this morning and went to put it in reverse and the shifter broke or something it was rolling i had to put on brakes i have never even hear of something like this happening and i look on the internet and its all over the internet how defective it is. i am a 50 year old single women so i am sure it was nothing i have done. what is going to be done about this problem it could be a dangerous situation if they were in the parking lot of a public place!!!!!!! *tr

2002 ford escape parked in driveway. last driven 5 hours earlier. the alarm sounded alerting my husband inside. he looked out of the window and saw smoke rolling from under the hood of the vehicle. he ran out with fire extinguisher and put out the flames. hopefully, this immediate detection of the fire limited the amount of damage. we were more fortunate than several other complaints. the abs module appears to be where damage was sustained. this is a recall for several 2002 escapes beginning in 2007, but when checking online with ford, my vin number states that there are no recalls on this particular vehicle. i didn't receive a recall notice from ford, and have on other occasions for this vehicle. i investigated several complaints previously filed involving 2002 escapes, and they are hauntingly the same scenario. also, the vin numbers on several of these are very similar to mine. obviously, they have missed several of these dangerous components, or the website is incorrect. i was unable to phone ford, as it is a weekend and will first thing monday morning. my ecu on this vehicle was replaced and programmed at a ford dealership in cottage grove, or in november of 2009. it was returned to me with the abs light still illuminated. the dealer made no mention to the light and i wrongly assumed that it wasn't a problem. i believe ford must correct this situation financially and make sure that all 2002 escapes are included in the recall. many complaints i viewed were recent, so i conclude that the dangerous situation is not remedied. *tw *tr

2002 ford escape parked in driveway. last driven 5 hours earlier. the alarm sounded alerting my husband inside. he looked out of the window and saw smoke rolling from under the hood of the vehicle. he ran out with fire extinguisher and put out the flames. hopefully, this immediate detection of the fire limited the amount of damage. we were more fortunate than several other complainants. the abs module appears to be where damage was sustained. this is a recall for several 2002 escapes beginning in 2007, but when checking online with ford, my vin number states that there are no recalls on this particular vehicle. i didn't receive a recall notice from ford, and have on other occasions for this vehicle.i investigated several complains previously filed involving 2002 escapes, and they are hauntingly the same scenario. also, the vin numbers on several of these are very similar to mine. obviously, they have missed several of these dangerous components, or the website is incorrect. i was unable to phone ford, as it is a weekend and will first thing monday morning. my ecu on this vehicle was replaced at a ford dealership in cottage grove, or in november of 2008. i wrongly assumed that when the abs light was illuminated on the dash that there wasn't any problem since no mention of it was made by the dealer. i believe ford must correct this situation financially and make sure that all 2002 escapes are included in the recall. many complains i viewed were recent, so i conclude that the dangerous situation is not remedied. *tw *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the engine caught on fire while parked in the garage. the fire department extinguished the flames. the vehicle was completely destroyed. the cause of the failure has not been determined. the failure mileage was 130,000.

2002 ford escape v6 four wheel drive, rear exhaust manifold cracks. drive this car reasonably, not like a teenager, and the manifold cracked. since this manifold has built-in catalysts, repair is extremely expensive. ford has not recalled, but the exhaust fumes that build up in the vehicle are extreme (we get headaches). also, mpg has fallen to 14 mpg, and still no cel-on condition. *tr

My sister's mazda tribute & my ford escape are the same vehicle and both have had the driver's side headlight plug melt. *tr

Air bag light came on i was told it was several different problems on several different occasions all resulting in the dealer replacing my safety harness which was oh by the way not covered under the electrical wiring extended warranty. they replaced the safety harness and guess what the air bag light is back on. i was told it would happen every time i adjust the seat. ( a defect in design). *tr

2002 ford escape 4x4 55,000 miles while driving 70 mph on rt 95 the car suddenly appeared to have gone into neutral, although it was still in drive. luckily we were able to make it to the side of the road 100 miles from home. the car would not move in any gear and now requires a new transmission. there were no previous transmission problems and no warnings that anything might be wrong. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while the vehicle was parked he smelled an electrical burning odor. while driving he saw smoke coming from the abs unit in the engine. after exiting the vehicle it caught on fire. the fire department extinguished the flames. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the manufacturer confirmed that abs module caused the failure. the current and failure mileages were 115,000.

For the current ford recall, the recall does not include ford escapes. i have had the same problems with my vehicle; malfunctioning cruise control (cruise will just disengage on the freeway or will all of a sudden start accelerating), brake light on dash, and difficultly with disengaging vehicle out of park. i contacted ford and was told my vehicle is not on the recall and there was nothing they could do about it. they issued me a "case number". *tr

While my daughter was eating diner at a local restaurant, her 2002 ford escape caught fire while parked with the engine off. according to our local ford dealer all recall work on the vehicle has been completed. i have learned today that this model ford has a history of fires in the engine compartment. *tr

Rear fenders rusting through, paint bubbling badly. *tr

My wife's 2002 ford escape has aprox 40k on it the steel cover that goes over the plastic gas tank is rotting away and dropping off rusty parts i hope that emissions would cover this. the strap has some rust but i am concerned we live in the northeast with salt on our roads. *tr

Abs light came on as i was parking to have dinner and an hour later upon returning i noticed smoke coming from the engine on the drivers side from under the hood... smelled wires or electrical type burning smell and had to disconnect the battery from the terminal to stop further damage... it was a wiring housing attached close to the abs module... i looked on the internet and found this to be a recall on over 446460 vehicles and description matched mine exactly... i have pictures to verify this claim... upon further review of the other 4 recalls im experiencing the following numbers: 04s2s nhtsa:04v574000/ 04c09 nhtsa: 04v602000//nhtsa: 07e023000 which is thru cardone industries so im contacting them.... my vehicle was diagnosed when brake red brake light came on and was low brake fluid but no hydraulic leaks.. but showing fluid to be on reservoir and master cylinder... 2002 ford escape v6 engine.... the only eligible recall im listed for is nhtsa: 04v165000 pcm recalibrating... all other recalls im not eligible for all state under defect consequences as may result in vehicle crash or fire which i've just encountered and the tailgate one states may open when a crash occurs... im concerned and wondering why my vehicle wasn't included in those recalls.... *tr

The front side harness seatbelt fell apart. only the lap belt restraint works now. i was driving down the road, noticed the harness felt very loose, once arrived at my destination, went to unfastened the seat belt and it fell apart in my hands, the ends are frailty like it became unsewn. it appears to have come unraveled. i was told by the dealership that this was not under warranty and would cost around $300 to repair. *tr

I was alerted to a problem with my 2002 ford escape when i heard the car alarm sound. i turned off the alarm by unlocking the doors, but noticed smoke rising from under the hood. i opened the hood, and ran water in the area where the smoke originated. after discovering that water wasn't stopping the smoke, i disconnected the battery. the smoke cleared and it appeared that the problem had originated in the area of the abs system/master cylinder. the problem was diagnosed by a ford dealership as a short in the abs module, causing a wiring harness to burn. these two parts are being replaced, and the old parts may be available from the dealership or from the insurance company, pemco. *tr

While driving on a highway at normal speed with small kids in their carseats the accelerator pedal went limp and the engine revved up to full acceleration. after moments of terror and temporary loss of control, the car was brought to the side of the road and shut down by fighting the engine power with the foot brakes and hand emergency brake. it's a miracle there was no crash. at my expense the ford dealership replaced the cruise control cable and/or cruise control cable housing. the service manager said, "looking at the part, i can see why it goes to full acceleration when that part fails" to me, that is a major safety concern and design failure. i noticed other similar incidents (oid id # 10199728 and 10128545). i lodged a complaint with the ford motor company and, not surprisingly, was told there's nothing they can or will do to compensate me. now i'm trapped owning an unsafe car. please investigate and remedy this problem before someone gets hurt. *tr

Hi; i just want to report my incident with my suv ford escape, model 2002 , the truck was on fire form the front side of it. *tr

2002 ford escape caught fire around 3:00 am, had not been driven since 5:30 pm on previous day. *tr

Catalytic converter cracked along welds at around 84000 miles. research on open sources on the internet as found at the v-6 equipped ford escapes are prone to these failures over and over. there have been some reported cases of vehicles losing power while driving and vehicles completely dyeing while driving. *tr

Recently as i was leaving work i went to start my 2002 ford escape. when i turned the key there was a slight hesitation followed by what sounded like a really bad backfire followed by smoke pouring out from under the hood. when i lifted the hood, the plastic engine cover and intake were blown to pieces under the hood. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the vehicle caught fire while parked in the driveway. the driveway and surrounding trees were damaged. the fire department stated that it was an electrical fire. the vehicle was destroyed and a fire report was filed. there were no injuries. the failure mileage was 84,000. updated 06/24/09 *bf updated 06/30/09.*jb

Tl*the contact owned a 2002 ford escape. the contact's neighbor informed him that his vehicle was on fire in his driveway. the contact used two full fire extinguishers and a water hose in an attempt to extinguish the fire. he was unsuccessful. the fire department arrived and successfully extinguished the flames. a fire report was filed and the fire department stated that an electrical fire started in the engine compartment. the fire marshall verified that numerous ford vehicles had caught fire as well. the vehicle was completely destroyed. the grass outside of the contact's house, a large tree, and the driveway all sustained major damage. there were no injuries. the failure and current mileages were less than 89,000.

I have a 2002 ford escape with the same problems with the air bag light. the air bag light began blinking then it would stay on. i believe it has to do with the side air bag connectors under the driver seat. i have tried cleaning them with contact cleaner. the light will go off but will come back on sometime later. the light comes on every time i start the engine or just have in the ¿on¿ position. i believe this is a safety issue and should be recalled!!! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. thirty minutes after fuel was placed in the vehicle, it caught fire in the contact's driveway. the fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. a report was filed. there were no injuries and the vehicle was destroyed. the cause of the failure was unknown. the failure mileage was 103,000.

2002 ford escape rear door and window are jammed and cannot be opened also rear drivers door. *tr

My 2002 ford escape is experiencing its second major airbag problem. the wiring under the seat has now "burnt up" for the second time and i can't afford to have them replaced again to the tune of $450 so i drive without active airbags. the wiring has been replaced once already just 4 months ago but i live in a different state than i did 4 months ago so i'm stuck. in researching this problem online i see that it is a common problem. shouldn't there be a recall when it involves a safety issue like this? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving approximately 20-30 mph on normal road conditions, the engine stalled without warning. immediately, the contact shifted into neutral and restarted the engine. the vehicle was able to resume normal operation. the check engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel and remained lit until the engine was turned off. the failures occurred intermittently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing, but the failures could not be duplicated. on two separate occasions, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for identical failures, but there were no resolutions. the vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign id number 04v165000 (power train; automatic transmission; control module), although the failures were identical. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 30,000 and current mileage was 70,000.

I have a 2002 ford escape, and the rear liftgate window hinges have broken 3 times [one twice, the other once] in normal operation. this is exactly the problem covered by safety recall 04s20, but ford says that only applies to cars built in different assembly plants, not mine. *tr

Brake problem - 2002 ford escape, vehicle id # (131,287 miles) brakes with excessive pedal travel subsequent to master cylinder replacement (4x). dealer (mccafferty ford,1939 east lincoln highway, langhorne, pa 19047, (800) 590-8702) agrees that travel is excessive but says brake pedal cannot be repaired and brakes are safe. i believe they are unsafe and the brake pedal should be repairable. dealer stated that ford motor was contacted and is unable to provide a solution. *tr

Catalytic converters blew up on our 2002 ford escape. *tr

While driving, usually first thing in morning, the rpm's will rev up to approx. 2000. the vehicle becomes harder to stop... *tr

Paint peeling on left side of my ford escape 2003. *tr

My rear window of my ford escape sponateously exploded while i was driving on the highway . *tr

Warped rotors on my 2002 ford escape. has been ongoing problem. have had to replace rotors several times but rotors keep warping dealer says to have rotors turned. this only works for a short time. i had brakes completely redone in oct.08, problem recurring in jan. 09. *tr

Tl*the contact owned a 2002 ford escape which was purchased in october 2001. the vehicle was parked in the driveway and he smelled something burning from inside the house. he later heard a loud explosion from outside and upon further investigation he saw flames coming from under the hood on the driver's side of the vehicle. he was successful and extinguishing some of the fire. the police and fire department were called and had to use excessive force to open the hood and extinguished the remainder of the fire. the sheriff stated the fire originated from the master cylinder. the failure and current mileages were less than 100,000. updated 1/5/09 *cn the consumer stated the vehicle was a total loss. updated 01/09/09. *jb

Front brakes and rotors have been replaced twice in 50,000 miles. excessive black brake dust on wheels a few days cleaning them. other friends that have the same car don't have this problem. dealer has not offered any help in resolving this problem. *tr

I had a recall on my car for abs module. i called the ford dealer in los lunas and they said my car wasn't on the list to be fixed. two months later my caught on fire while i was driving it. what can i do to get this taken care of now? *tr

I was driving home from work when i noticed the gas pedal remained stuck to the floor. when i had the dealer check it, they noticed that the accelerator cable was severely frayed and that if i kept driving in that condition, it would be very dangerous. *tr

I recently had $2,900 worth of repairs done to my 2002 ford escape xlt in july. my vehicle was bucking and almost stalled when i pulled into the nearest service center. the check engine light was on. the mechanic diagnosed the problem as clogged cat converters. the car has three sets of them. this is the effect of the cause which he believed was faulty oxygen sensors as well as bad spark plugs. at the end of sept the car was not running well and i went to another mechanic who said the egr valve was blown and their was broken bolts where the mechanic was replacing the exhaust system. i was furious and proceeded to return to the merrick bellmore service center. he told me if the problem was on his end that he will take care of it and then diagnosed that the cats where clogged again. he didn't properly diagnose the cause of the cats getting clogged the first time. the mechanic has since replaced three sets of cat converters and he has a bill for $1600 and has had my car at his shop for two months now. the shop is "trying" to get ford to pay for the exhaust parts. after numerous attempts to speak with the owners of this service station to no avail (the clerks tell me 5 different set of names as to who is the owner) all i want is my car back and let this service station "eat" this current bill due to the fact that on the bill that i paid in july the warranty on parts is one year or $12,000 miles. i am frustrated, angry and don't know where to turn. *tr

I had previously brought my 2002 ford escape in for safety recall nhtsa action number pe06048, which was issued to address problems with electrical wiring connectors to the abs electronic control module. they inspected the abs module connection and applied dielectric grease. approximately 7,000 miles and 15 months after bringing in my car for the safety recall, the electrical connectors of the abs module were completely corroded, shorted out, and required immediate replacement. ford was unwilling to address the problem because 12 months had passed since bringing my car in to them. i wanted to express my concern that the actions taken (dielectric grease application only) when i brought my car in for the safety recall were insufficient or at best a short-term solution to this electrical safety problem. i have the old parts and pictures to show the severity of the corroded and shorted connections in both the abs brake module and the abs module connector that were taken from my automobile. *tr

There was a recall on 2002 ford escape last year(2007) on the abs unit. campaign number 07v156000. my problem is that one dealership turned in the recall as being completed on 4/24/07. they stated they put grease on the abs module. on 10/19/2008 i was driving home and the module caught on fire. the original dealership that supposedly did the recall is now no longer in business. so i called the ford motor company and was told that i would have to have the vehicle inspected by a ford service dept and if they determined the cause to be a defective module then it would be covered. so i took my car to another dealership and they told me that it was definitely a defect in the module. so they called ford motor company to verify the claim and then ford turns it down. the reason was that it had been more than 12 months since recall was done. they said that parts and labor are covered for only 12 months. but i have the receipt that shows all the first dealership done was inspect and apply grease. no parts were replaced. if they had actually replaced the module then i could understand. the recall came out after the car was already 5 years old. so the recall didn't state anything about the age of the part and i don't see how grease could fix a 5 year old part. even so if all they replaced was grease then how does the 5 year old part fall under a 12 month part and labor warranty? i think the part should be replaced since it has been diagnosed as defective. i would gladly pay for the grease since it is over 12 months old.( that's they only part they replaced) what do i do now? ford admitted the problem when they issued the recall, and now they do not want to fix it because of some grease (band-aide) they put on it? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. immediately after purchasing the vehicle in august of 2002, it began stalling and lost all power. the contact received a recall notice in april of 2004 for nhtsa campaign id number 04v165000 (power train:automatic transmission:control module). she took the vehicle to a local dealer and received her free repair. in august of 2008, the failure recurred. while driving approximately 10-20 mph, the vehicle stalled and lost all power; however, it was able to be restarted. on august 11, 2008, while backing out of the driveway at an unknown speed, the vehicle lost power. the contact lost control of the vehicle. the failure recurred two additional times the same day. the vehicle was taken to a local dealer and a complete diagnostic test was performed; however, no failures could be found. the manufacturer stated that since they already repaired her vehicle, they were not liable for another repair. the current mileage was 51,007 and failure mileage was 200.

We drive ford escape 2002. in january 2006 we bought 4 new tires from firestone p23570r16 with 60,000.00miles guarantee. we have driven only 30,000 on this fires. we noticed very often air leaking from these tires and we decided to use the guarantee and go to firestone service for repair. the tires ,all four, have cracks al over the tire with next white color layer visible. we are afraid to use the car. when we went to the service they told us that the reason of this kind of damage is weather. joke. none of the cars driving around has the same problem and we live on the same earth and the weather is the same too. we hardly believed them and even conversation with people from the main office didn't help. they fix one tire,checked the rest and they still are sure that these tires are ok and safe to drive. but we still have the cracks on the tires and we are waiting for moment when they blow out. we are not going to pay for replacement even 1$ ,specially because this is fire stone and also because we found are tire on recall list. by the way for that recall they also have their own explanation of course. we don't have to add that they was very not nice during the service and ignoring. please give us same idea about our rights,specially that nothing happen yet and me,my wife and my daughters are alive. *tr

A ford recall notice (#07s51) had been mailed informing me of a recall to our 2002 escape . the recall, as the letter states, had to do with dislodged wire seals that could effect the abs module. the recall notice went on to state that if left unfixed, the abs module could overheat due to the recall part and cause, in some cases, the car to catch on fire even when off. this description fit our car's problem, since our car's abs light and brake light was on unexplainable. logically, we took our car to the dealership to have the repair done on the car. after having the repair done, we checked the car and the abs light and the brake light were still on. i confronted the service manager who had administered the repair and he assured me that they had repaired the problem to the extent that ford had allowed them. he had told me that all he had done was change was a connector and nothing else. they had not fixed the problem; their report ended with telling me that the abs light and parking light were still on and a diagnostics was still needed. the mechanics did not only leave the problem unfixed, but were unwilling to admit that the problem was from the recall part. incidentally, three days later after the mechanics had worked on my car, the ford escape caught fire while parked on the corner of cenher drive in chula vista ca. fortunately, my spouse was not inside the car. the fireman were called to the scene in order to put out the fire and a police report was made. the fire left my car a total loss. i contacted ford costumer service of the incident and they informed me it would take 10 business days to answer my request. *tr

Front knocking noise. has been present since we first bought the car new. many mechanics, including the ford dealer, could not find the problem. brakes, transmission, and struts were checked or replaced. the knocking persisted. on 8/15/08, the ball joint failed as my wife was traveling at 45 mph around a corner causing the driver side wheel to flop at a 90 degree angle. steering was impossible. luckily, my wife was able to get the car stopped safely without out any life threatening consequences. ford escape 2002 xlt. *tr

2002 ford escape stalls when backing up, going forward going down the road. going around a corner. went to ford dealer and they had the vehicle for a week and found nothing. i can't drive this vehicle because it's unsafe. this is my only vehicle. *tr

My family and i were driving along the insterstate with cruise controll set at 75 mph. we were going up a small hill and about to go into the passing lane. the car sounded like the transmission slipped in over drive and the rpms went through the roof. we were able to coast to the side of the road. we turned the vehicle off for serveral minutes and then turned it back on. the oil pressure light flickered on and off and the engine made a horrible screeching noise. we checked the oil and it was full. the car had to be towed to the mechanic were he then informed us that the car needed a new engine. he stated the the catalytic convereted had gone out causing the engine to fail. the car also will need a new transmission. the total cost to fix this is around $8000.00. i contacted ford today to tell them what had happened and they stated that there was nothing they could do since the car had not been serviced at a ford service station consistantly since the car was first purchased and that they have had no other similiar complaints with this vechile. after researching online i have found many similar complaints where ever one has seemed to contact ford and they say the same things to them. i also have had some smaller problems with this vehicle like the engine light going on and the emergency break light going on and brought them in to the shop and have had to replace the sensors. right now i am not able to replace the vehicle due to finicial reasons.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving 45 mph, the vehicle shut off without warning. the contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive home. the dealer test drove the vehicle, but could not diagnose the cause of the failure. the manufacturer stated that if the dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure, they could not assist. the failure and current mileages were 80,000.

Air bag lights go on and off. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the dealer performed a recall repair on the vehicle to prevent it from catching fire. two months after the repair, the vehicle caught fire in the contact's driveway after it had been parked for two minutes. ford stated that they are not responsible for any damages. the recall number was unknown. the failure mileage was 112,653.

I own a ford 2002 escape. while visiting my mother on 06/25/08, i had parked my car in her drive and turned the ignition off. the keys were in the ignition. i had been at my mothers for aprx. 30-40 mins when i heard a loud explosion. i ran to the door and looked out and my vehicle was in flames. the fire dept. seems to think that it was electrical. after researching this online, i see that this has happened with several ford vehicles. my car is totaled. *tr

I purchased (4) tires about one year ago from a bridgestone tire dealership. the tires are: 062065 dueler h/l d683 owl p225/70r15 100s. late april '08, as i was washing the tires i noticed "cracks" on the sides, around and in between the treads of all four tires. on may 3, i took the car to the bridgestone dealer and filed the complaint that i believe the tires are now unsafe and requested replacement. the service manager (dan hilborn) promised to investigate with firestone and get back with me. on may 23, 2008, dan called me and said that the replacement tires are in and i can bring in my car to replace the tires. same day, i took my car in and then dan tells me that the same tires are no longer instock and that i need to pay an additional $288.54 for upgraded tires to replace my defective tires. dan also stated that the defective tires were from an "old stock" that were actually sold as new to move them. dan referred me to "bill" from bridgestone firestone technical service dept in woodbridge, ill. bill also refused to replace my defective tires at no cost to me. he stated that these tires are safe to drive on them with cracks between and around the tire treads. bill stated that there may be safety concern if you "can drive a head of a ball point pen in the cracks"!!! i believe these tires are defective and should be recalled, as i believe that an average consumer would not notice these cracks and will continue to drive on them which is a safety risk to the lives of our people. i happened to notice the cracks in tires because of my background in quality control in the automotive industry. your prompt attention to this potentially serious safety situation is most appreciated. thank you. *tr

I purchased my 2002 ford escape in february 2006. within a few days the airbag light came on and stayed on. i took it to the ford dealership and they said that the seatbelt pretenser needed to be replaced, but i can not afford to pay almost $500. the dealership says that because i can't have it fixed, my airbags may not deploy in an accident. i have reported this to the ford company and got no help. so, basically they are saying that i deserve to be hurt or killed in an accident because i can't afford to have the pretenser fixed. i for one do not think that is fair. *tr

The car was making a noise. the repair shop found that the gas tank was scraping on the drive shaft because the strap that holds the gas tank and shield in place had rusted through and broken in half causing the gas tank to fall down on the drive shaft. luckily i did not drive very far with this situation because the drive shaft would have put a hole in the gas tank and could have potentially caused a fire. *tr

Air bag trouble light began blinking after turning the engine on one morning. a series of blinking......6 times, 4 times, 6 times, 4 times and then remained on. only went off when turning engine off. local repair shop said only dealer could handle this. dealer quoted price to just investigate. and that it would depend on what they found if the quote would be applied to the total repair cost. hmmm. dealer also said that most likely while the warning light is on that the airbags will not deploy in the event of a collision. i have seen the number of complaints here at this website and elsewhere and merely want to add mine to the growing list. the more we complain maybe we'll get some results. thanks. *tr

Vehicle will not shift into any gear except park. *tr

The vehicle in question a 2002 ford escape xl, threw a rod at about 47,000 miles due to a problem that became a recall concern ( ford recall id# 42319 december 7, 2004), i was sent a recall notice 2 months after the replacement by a used ( 43,000 miles), engine which my extended warranty company chose over a remanufactured engine that i wanted. it also threw a rod after the accelerator stuck, ( the recall item) 40,000 miles later. because the warranty had expired, no repairs were covered and i ended up paying repairs, rental cost and losing wages because i couldn't get to my next assignment. *tr

Transmission failure, apparently a recurring problem with the ford 2001-2004 escape suv. this one is a 2002 and did not leave me stranded, i managed to get it to the dealership. others (hundreds++) on the web were stranded on major highways. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the master cylinder leaked brake fluid onto the power booster and is causing poor braking performance. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that her vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 07e023000 (service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder). the current and failure mileages were 74,000.

I went out to crank my vehicle and it ran wide open. i turned it off and tried it twice more with the same results. the security officer at my workplace came over and raised the hood to see what was going on. twice more i cranked it with the same results. then he found the problem my speed control cable was no longer connected. he got it back on and advised me to go to my dealer. the following day they had me bring it in, they informed me that my particular vehicle was not on the recall list. they were going to order the part, and when i asked the chances of it happening again, they replaced the regular speed cable and disconnected the cruise control one until they could get one in, just in case. i didn't get to see any list, i just know there was a recall on my type of vehicle for this. am i to just take their word for it? i thank the lord that i was sitting in a parking lot when it happened and not out on the road where it could have been a very bad situation. also when they said i was ready they asked how long my abs light had been blinking--i told them it was blinking the day i test drove and the salesman was going to ask about it when we got back to the dealer. i never got an answer. if either of these are faulty and were never reported i'd like to know. other people may experiencing the same thing. and if these cables have been replaced before and it's happened again, people need to know. i thank you for your help. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact's vehicle caught fire while parked in mexico. the contact was in the united states at the time of the fire and he received a recall notice regarding the cruise control. when he returned to mexico, he notified a ford dealer and they were unaware of the failure. the contact was about to pay to have the vehicle repaired, but the vehicle caught fire before any repairs could be made. the recall number was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 72,300. updated 05/19/08 *bf the recall was regarding the abs module. before the consumer could get the vehicle fixed, it caught ton fire. the consumer stated the abs light was on before he purchased the vehicle. updated 05/19/08

Air bag light illuminated continuously indicating that the air bags may not work properly in a collision. ford dealer performed air bag self test and code b1881 was obtained. i had to have wiring revisions to both seats at a cost of $292.86. the dealer representative informed me that the wiring revision was necessary because the original wiring under the seats was incapable of accommodating the full range of normal seat adjustments allowed by the electric seat adjustor. this is obviously a manufacturer defect involving a safety feature of the 2002 ford escape. should not the manufacturer have to pay for correcting this safety defect? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact is disabled and was stranded in her vehicle for over two hours. the vehicle doors do not have key holes. the fire department had to remove the rear door panel in order to free the contact from the vehicle. the contact stated that she was unaware that the vehicle did not have key holes when it was purchased. the doors only operated by remote. the manufacturer was notified and stated that the contact would receive a call back from the dealer. the door panel has been repaired. the dealer information was unknown. the current mileage was 22,074 and failure mileage was 22,064. updated 4/8/08 *cn the consumer stated frank is paralyzed. the consumer stated there is a great concern for no keyhole on the vehicle. updated 04/08/08 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. in june of 2007, the contact took her vehicle to a ford dealer regarding recall number 07s51. the dealer applied electrical grease to the abs module cavity. on february 29, 2008, the vehicle caught fire under the hood near the abs module. the vehicle was damaged, but there were no injuries. the powertrain was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 78,500.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving 65 mph, the brakes failed. the contact had to apply the emergency brake in order to stop the vehicle. if it were not for the emergency brake, she would have crashed into another vehicle. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the abs was fine. the contact had a mechanic friend and he replaced the master cylinder and the reservoir. because the brake fluid was leaking, the contact's friend also replaced the "reman bra". the current mileage was 42,698 and failure mileage was approximately 42,498. updated 04/04/08. *lj

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving 60 mph, the accelerator pedal went down to the floor and would not release. the contact was able to place the vehicle into second gear. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the cruise control cable failed and jammed the throttle cover. the transmission became damaged when the contact shifted into reverse gear. the manufacturer may not be able to assist. on november 25, 2007, the vehicle was taken to the dealer due to reverse. the dealer cleaned the throttle body, flushed the injectors, and cleaned the upper intake gasket and spark plugs. the fuel filters, coil boots, and ignitions wires were replaced. the current and failure mileages were 62,000. the consumer stated the battery light comes on while driving, replace fuel filter, and a/c is not blowing cold. updated 03/31/08 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the vehicle caught fire after it had been parked for nine hours. prior to parking the vehicle, the abs warning indicator light illuminated. the fire was extinguished by using snow. no repairs were made. there was no property damage. the contact has pictures. the vehicle was inspected in march of 2007, but not repaired for nhtsa campaign id number 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module). the current and failure mileages were 130,000.

Srs airbag lamp on on the dashboard, it will blink for 30 seconds when you start the engine. then it will stay lit. i brought this to the dealer where i bought this suv and after 1 year it came on again. i had it checked to a dealer and they reset the lamp and it came back again. it worries me because i do not know if the airbags will work during an accident. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle would loose power when at a stop. in addition, she was unable to depress the brakes unless the idle was low. the dealer replaced the alternator and the battery on two occasions; however, the failure continued to occur. there is a recall for the power train: automatic transmission: control module (nhtsa campaign id # 04v165000) however, the manufacturer stated her vin was not included. the failure mileage was 100,000 and current mileage was 107,447.

Accelerator stuck on 2002 ford escape. at 80mph i finally turned off ignition to stop. throttle cable broke. there was a recall for this in 2002 but not for my particular car. ford customer service and ford recall center refused to pay for repairs at dealer. i was lucky to survive this incident. who knows how many other 2002 ford escapes also have this problem?? *tr

We have a 2002 ford escape xlt we bought new in sept of 2002. it has 90,000 miles on it. last week my husband was coming home when it lost power and would not go over 50 miles an hour there was also a whirring sound. he got home and to our mechanic. there was a hole in the egs valve (?) which it turns out was caused by the catalytic converter getting clogged, building up pressured and causing it to blow. based upon my research on the net, this is fairly common. i am wondering if there is anything being done towards a recall. our dealer is trying to get a new cc from the east coast (we are in the seattle area) but it may take up to 2 weeks. *tr

This will be the second time i have to replace the brake pads and rotors, not to mention that from day one my wheels have been covered in black dust from the brakes, and im told this is normal. the major problem has been the transmission. i can not tell you how many times i've taken it in to be looked at and called and complained to ford with no help at all. since day one (my car was brand new) the automatic transmission made noises as though it was stuck when it should be smoothly shifting gears. each time i took it in noone heard anything...until my warrantee was up then things were heard. lets see i've paid for engine flushes, spark plug changes, fluid checks, reset calibraitons, i've never missed an oil or filter change and it progressively is getting worse. i've read lots of other complaints from ford owners regarding the same problem. so if we all are having the same issue, why isn't ford held accountable to fix this??????? *tr

Seat belt retractors don't work on both side[weak [return][springs causing doors not to shut when exiting vehicle metal connector blocks and damages door lock mechanism and punching large holes in weather strips i've replaced twice on each side. a recall on the seat belts returns should be issued. this problem chews up the seat belt connection metal and door lock mechanism which will eventually stop working after repeated closures. some one could then fall out of there car. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the engine failed to idle in 20 degree weather. the abs module caught fire. there were no injuries. a fire report was filed. the contact reported the fire to ford motor company and they advised him to file a complaint. the current and failure mileages were 130,000.

Transmission failure after 4 years and 10 months at 64,000 miles. *tr

Air bag light comes on and stays on. dealer says air bags are disabled when the light is on. he wants about $400 to fix the problem. this problem has been reported frequently on the internet. *jb

(1) driving to work on route 18 south (2) lost use of accelerator pedal (3) cable broken to pedal that was replaced at ford dealer in shrewsbury/red bank nj. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that her vehicle caught fire while parked. she quickly extinguished the fire. the vehicle was taken to the mechanic, but he could not determine the cause of the failure. she received two recall letters prior to the failure. the vin, engine size, number of cylinders, powertrain, and nhtsa campaign id numbers were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 80,000.

Air bag light started blinking when i started vehicle blinked for about 30 sec then went solid, took escape to ford dealer and the got a code from the air bag system and informed me i had faulty wiring on the seat belt connector and there was a replacement wiring harness i needed to install . told then to order it and was informed that air bags were functioning ok even though light was still on. the said i just missed the warranty by 4 days so i had to pay the $200.00 for parts and labor. you would think ford would give a little leeway since this is a faulty part first installed on production line. please advice ford of this thank you. *jb

(1) airbag light came on (2) cables defective - airbags will not deploy during crash (3) cables replaced - $450 total *tr

My granddaughter was operating my 2002 ford xlt escape and was involved in an accident recently in august 2007. an individual ran a stop sign and she hit his vehicle broadside at 50 miles per hour. the automobile has been classified as totaled at 10k plus damage. the problem is that none of her airbags deployed in the vehicle. she was wearing a seat belt but received injures including a partially collapsed lung, which may have been a direct result of the airbags not stopping her forward motion. *jb

While driving the seat belt that holds my child"s car seat in place becomes undone. i had the car seat installed by a certified car seat safety specialist prior to giving birth. the seat belt has come undone twice within 3 months while my baby was in the seat. both times i looked back in my rear view mirror to see the entire car seat leaning over. if my 3 month old baby wasn't strapped in he would have fallen out. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. after picking up her vehicle from being serviced, the air bag light began blinking intermittently while driving 50 mph. a few minutes later, the air bag light stopped blinking and remained lit each time the vehicle made a turn. she took the vehicle back to the dealer and they informed her that the connector harness needed replacing. the vin, engine size, and number of cylinders were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 76,000.

Unintended acceleration - 2002 ford escape xlt: driving on interstate accelerated for a hill and car continued to accelerate after foot removed from pedal. car continued to accelerate and gain speed up hill, hill peaked and speed exceeded 80 miles per hour. further acceleration down hill - transmission placed in neutral, and able to be stopped on side of freeway. engine continued to rev; turned off, and then revved when turned back on. cruise control was not being used at any time. dealer inspected and found and replaced defective cruise control cable. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact heard a popping sound when she turned off the vehicle. she then noticed flames coming from under the passenger side bumper. the dealer and manufacturer have not inspected the vehicle. as of august 2, 2007, the cause of the failure has yet to be determined. the current and failure mileages were 89,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. on april 12, 2007, the contact received recall notice # 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module). the vehicle was taken to the dealer the same day. the dealer provided the contact with a rental vehicle and as of july 18, 2007, the vehicle has not been repaired. the dealer stated that they are waiting on a part to arrive. no failures have occurred at this time. the current mileage is 80,000 and the failure mileage was inapplicable.

(1) noticed abs light was lit, took vehicle to palmer ford in chelsea mi to find out what the problem with my 2002 ford escape could be. they gave a break down the excitor ring (for the aba braking system) that is attached to the half shaft of my escape was broken. this also caused the abs sensor to fail (2)as to failure....did get a second opinion from a different service station about the excitor ring...palmer ford in chelsea mi said that they where not aware of any other escapes having this issue....unlike the second service station, which had seen this problem in the escapes. (3)to correct the problem...i have had the half shaft replaced (which includes this excitor ring for the abs braking system)and the sensor.... *tr

(1) approximately 100 miles of highway driving led up to (2) a loss of power at all speeds with excessive rpms for given speed followed by a flashing check engine light, followed by considerable engine and cabin vibration. (3) ford diagnosed the problem as a rare internal engine failure in cylinder #4. no remedy has been provided. the engine can be replaced for about $6,000. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving 80 mph, the contact applied the brakes, but the vehicle failed to decelerate or stop. the contact drove into a ditch, which stopped the vehicle. the contact turned off the vehicle. once it was restarted, the rpm's raced to 5 and the tires began smoking. the failure occurred three additional times. the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa recall # 04v574000 (vehicle speed control:cables). the current and failure mileages were 112,000. the consumer provided the repair invoice. updated 09/05/07 *tr

I own a 2002 ford escape and was driving on the freeway when the overdrive off light started flashing. i pulled over ,but was not able to reengage the overdrive. continued the commute home and the transmission started shifting roughly, and then the check engine light came on. i was able to drive it to the dealer, where they told me i would needed a new transmission. i took it, ,,(by this point the vehicle wasn't driveable and had to have it towed to a transmission shop near my home. they stated that i would need a new transmission, and that this seemed to be a common occurrence for ford escapes. they said that a vehicle at 90000 mileage should not have the extensive kind of transmission damage that this vehicle did.*ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving at any speed, the brakes grind when stopping the vehicle. the abs warning indicator light also illuminates. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who stated that the vehicle needed two front axles and two abs sensors. the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in any recall. the current mileage is 55,600 and failure mileage was 55,400.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that he is experiencing that same failure as noted in nhtsa action # pe06048. he took the vehicle to the dealer to be inspected and they found nothing wrong with the vehicle. the vehicle caught fire under the hood. the contact disconnected the battery before the fire could spread. the current and failure mileages were 65,000.

The windshield on the ford escape cracked when i rinsed it with a regularly garden hose. since i rinse all my cars frequently and have never had this problem my mechanic suggested that the glass was very thin and likely cracked from the cold water hitting the warmer glass. i contacted the ford dealer, who indicated that there was no known problem with their windshields. i have scheduled a glass company to replace the windshield this friday, june 22 at my house. please contact me, if you need additional information. thank you. *ak

Wife had just gotten home from grocery store and about a half hour later the dog was barking. she looked into the garage and the 2002 ford escape was on fire. she broke a window to put water on the fire to keep it from spreading to other cars and boat in garage. fire department arrived and finished putting out the fire. escape was a total loss and garage had heavy soot and smoke damage. after getting the insurance companies notification of fire and getting wife's cuts stitched we got home about 7:00 p.m. went to get the mail and there was a safety recall notice from ford mailed on april 24, 2007 from michigan about the anti lock brake module. it stated the module could short out even with the key in the off position. notified ford the next morning of fire. they had it investigated, and said because of the severe damage in the engine compartment they were unable to determine the origin of the fire. i then asked could this safety recall cause this kind of fire, and the ford representive said yes, but just submit it to your insurance company. *ak

Air bag warning light on intermittently on dashboard. started in 6/03, taken to dealer 5 times and still not repaired. i am resigned to having an inoperative airbag.*ak

In april 2007, i took my 2002 ford escape because of constant clicking noise that i heard coming from the left front side of the car for about 3 months. i was told that it was my sway bar end link, but the right side. the left end link had been replaced in april 2006, so i had to pay for the right end link to be replaced. the clicking noise persists. now, the dealer is saying that it is the right lower control arm that is making the noise and i must have done something to it, even though it is the same noise and started only 2 days after being serviced. also, the car has stalled twice. the front brake rotors have been replaced twice and needs a third replacement. the transmission has been replaced. the air bag light comes on intermittently and remains on for months at a time; started in 2004. the windows and door locks have been serviced for intermittently not working three times before the problem was resolved.

I own a 2002 ford escape and i heard of the recall regarding the abs module. i right away took the car to montebello ford on april 14,2007 to get it checked. later that afternoon they told me that the car was ready to be picked up, but they could not do anything regarding the abs module because the parts were back ordered. when i picked up the car on monday april 16, 2007 another service tech nician asked me if everything was okay, and if i had any concerns. i told him i did. i was worried about the recall and the car was not fixed. he then checked my records and history of the car, and told me thatthe abs module was out already and it needed to get it replaced. he told me that there would be a shipment in at the end of the month, and that i should call him to follow up, and when the part was in it would be repaired at no charge to me. i have since the end of april tried to get a hold of him at montebello ford, but he failed to return any of my phone calls. i did let him know on one of my messagess that i would be going out of town at the end of may and i would like my car to be fixed so that i could feel safe driving long distance. i was very dissatisfied with the service and felt that my safety was not important. if the abs module was on recall, and i wastold that my was out, i expected to get the service i deserved as a consumer.*ak

I have taken the 2002 ford escape to the dealer many times for the headlights not coming on, turning off, blinking while in use, and not turning off after use. this was a safety issues that needed to be addressed. the only way i could get the lights to go off was to remove the fuses. i am having trouble even finding out if this item was a defect recall. that was put up with the ford company i grew up with. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact received recall notice # 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module). the dealer stated that they did not have the recall repair part and it would not be available until july. the contact feels that the wait time for the part is too long. no failures have occurred at this time. the current mileage is 41,000 and the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. on may 3, 2007, the contacts vehicle was repaired under recall # 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module). the abs module was inspected, lubed, and passed the abs module test. on may 5, 2007, the abs light illuminated. the dealer diagnosed the abs module as being corroded and will not replace the module free of charge. the contact stated that no failures were present before the recall repair was performed. the vehicle's purchase date and engine size were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 119,868. updated 06/15/07 *tr

Replaced cracked catalytic converter asy 5l8z*5g232* catalytic at 121,000 miles. cracked in 2 places. ford told me it was 2nd ford escape in 2 weeks with same problem with cracks in same location. bill cost $1126.91 to repair. *tr

Our 2002 ford escape caught on fire while parked in the garage. it appears that the fire originated in or around the abs module. thankfully there were no initial serious injuries, though we incurred smoke damage and the inconvenience of a non functioning vehicle. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle had a slight odor, back fired on two occasions, and ran poorly. in october 2005 the vehicle hesitate d at 20 mph. the mechanic diagnosed the failure as the ignition coil and replaced it for $400. in may 2006 the vehicle ran poorly and back fired again. the mechanic diagnosed the failure as the coil once again and was replaced at 52,980 miles. in july 2006 the vehicle ran poorly for a third time. the ford dealer stated that two coils failed at 53,011 miles. in april o 2007 the contact felt the vehicle ran poorly again, and took it to the dealer, suspecting coil failure for the fifth time. the current mileage is 60,000 , and failure mileage was 47,000.*ak

I own a 2002 ford, escape. the vehicle has a call back for the abs module. i took the vehicle to a ford dealer in lebanon, nh. i was then informed that the car was one of those that did have the problem and will need to be repaired. in the meantime, i was advised by the mechanic at flanders & patch that the car was considered too dangerous to be parked inside or even up close to a building as it could catch on fire. however, i was also informed that ford will not be able to fix this problem for at least two, maybe even three months. in the meantime, i am not to park this car inside a garage or near my home. i live in an area where we had several break ins and never left my car parked outside at night for that reason. also, i shared a driveway, so parking iwas very limited in my area. again, leaving the car parked outside was a problem. all i asked from ford wasto fix the problem now. ford /needed to be held responsible for any problem i encountered due to this failure on their part to fix this. *ak

I took my 2002 ford escape to a ford dealer to see if the recent recall of the abs module connector affected my car only to find out that i had an oil leak from the master cylinder which was dropping onto the abs module. maybe this is why the cars are catching fire to begin with. if i hadn't taken my car in to be checked the oil probably would have caused a fire. i had to replace the master cylinder and my car only has 70k miles on it. i have never replaced one on any car i have ever owned and i have driven them over 150kmiles. it cost me 278 dollars..this car also had to have the rotors replaced when i replaced the brakes at 42k. the fuel pump was replaced at 34614 miles,the coolant recovery tank was replaced at the same time as the light was on. at 51k miles ck engine light came on. #4 coil had to be replaced at a cost of 282.17. at 70k the engine light came on. the gas cap failed and had to be replaced . this coast 97 dollars because it had to go on a diagnostic machine to find the problem. i was going to buy a ford escape hybrid but now i will never buy another ford. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact received recall notice # 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module). the dealer stated that the part for the recall repair will not be available until june of 2007. the contact has not experienced any failures with the vehicle. the current mileage is 100,000 and the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. while driving 35 mph, the vehicle's brake warning light illuminated. when the brake pedal was depressed, it went down to the floorboard. the brake pedal had to be depressed approximately three or four times before the vehicle would stop. the road conditions were clear. the mechanic stated that the vehicle needed a new master cylinder, power brake boost, and a power brake check valve. the mechanic performed the repairs, but approximately three months later, the failures recurred. the mechanic stated that the vehicle needed another power brake booster. the vehicle was repaired and no other failures have occurred. the current mileage is 73,300 and failure mileages were 68,800.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. when the vehicle was repaired under recall # 07v156000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock:control unit/module), the dealer stated that the oil pan gasket leaked and needed to be replaced. the dealer stated that the contact would be responsible for the cost to replace the oil pan. the contact is aware of the safety risk involved. the current mileage is 5,360 and failure mileage was 4,800.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. on february 9, 2007 the vehicle caught on fire in the garage and burned to the frame. the fire began on the electrical instrument panel on the driver's side. the vehicle was destroyed while parked in the garage. the fire marshall and insurance company have photos. the fire marshall stated that the switch or sensor caused the fire. the insurance company investigator stated that the fire was due to an electrical failure. the contact's vehicle burned 20 days after it was purchased. the current and failure mileage were 86,000. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that two hours after driving the vehicle smoke was detected. the contact lifted the hood, and smoke began to rise from the engine. the contact called the local fire department, and they removed the battery from the vehicle. the smoke ceased, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. once the dealer inserted the battery back into the vehicle,it immediately started to smoke again. the dealer daignosed the failure as a burned out abs module. the contact stated that nhtsa already hasdan investigation open , action # pe06048)for the same failure. the failure mileage was 70,000.*ak

Tl*- the contact stated that the 2002 ford escape xlt had acceleration problems when trying to come to a complete stop. the throttle kicked off and the rpms went up to 4 she then would have to wait until the rpms went back to normal. when this happened it was very difficult to get the vehicle to stop completely. the contact has had 2 failures with the vehicle. when she put the vehicle in neutral the engine sounded like it was revving at a much higher rate. the contact stated that this was a leased vehicle that she will be returning in 2 months. the vehicle was at a dealership now for a diagnostic testing on what could be causing this problem. she contacted the manufacturer and was given a case # 1331070467. the current mileage was 64000.*ak updated 03/07/07.*jb

On march 13th 2007 my car was parked in the driveway and smoke was coming out of the bottom of the escape and the hood. it smelled like an electrical fire- i investigated where the smell was and it all looked fine- i turned on the escape and then the brake lights and abs light came on along with the engine check light. i looked up on the internet and saw that several complaints on the brake system catching on fire. *jb

This is to report another suspected 2002 ford escape abs control module fire. the vehicle fire occurred jan. 9, 2007 at client's home. the vehicle is a 2002 ford escape xlt, and is currently stored at insurance auto auctions (iaa), 1710 starita road, charlotte, nc 28206-1286, phone: 704-596-5854, fax: 704-596-7492, stock number: 2799576. the house and car are insured by state farm, which has retained me as its subrogation counsel. the fire occurred while the car was parked in the garage in the "key off" position. larry helton for ford has already examined the vehicle and the scene on january 17, 2007. no one was injured, but the property damages could exceed $50,000.00. *jb

I have had many problems with the airbag light coming on and off randomly in my 2002 ford escape & have read on the internet that other people are experiencing the same problem. i have taken my vehicle to the dealership for the 2nd time and they replaced the airbag pretensioner, as it had gone bad. i was advised that if the light were on, the airbag would not deploy. i do not believe this is a "wear-and-tear" part and ford needs to look into the situation to make sure a recall is not needed.*jb

Tl*- the contact stated that on 01/05/06 while driving her 2002 ford escape at 10 mph. the vehicle made a loud noise. when she tried to stop the vehicle she applied the brakes, but the vehicle didn't come to an immediate stop. the contact stated that the brake pedal had to be pushed to the floor. the vehicle continued to make a loud noise that sounded like the something loose. the contact did take the vehicle to her mechanic, but before reaching the mechanic her abs light turned on. the contact stated that the mechanic told her that the reluctor ring had failed and that the vehicle needed the left front axle assembly replaced. *jb updated 03/19/07. *jb

2002 ford escape. parked> 3 hrs. caught fire. engine and front of car completely destroyed. have detailed pictures understand investigation into this problem began in november 2006 would like to speak to someone before car is towed to junk yard. *nm

Vehicle would stall at any given time, whether going down the interstate or during city driving. steering would be very difficult and brakes were inoperable. this occurred about two months after we had purchased our 2002 ford escape with 42,000 miles on it. after the fourth "stall", we had the vehicle towed to the dealership where we purchased it. they connected a "black box" underneath the dash and had us drive the vehicle to see if it happened again, which it did a couple days later. they towed it back to the garage. apparently our problem was something to do with, i believe, our harmonic balance or something like that. according to the technician, whatever was not working properly, it caused the engine to not know which cylinders on the engine was firing and that is what caused the engine to shut off. they fixed the problem and we now have 73,000 miles on the vehicle and had no other stalling problems. the work order reads as follows: diag, eec test, no codes present, found sticky ng, r&r iac, retest all okay at this time; also, while they were performing the maintenance they also discovered that our power steering rack was leaking, which was covered by our extended warranty. the power steering rack was replaced. the mileage on the vehicle at the time of repairs was 44,546. i'm very thankful for the folks at our dealership in omaha. they gave us a rental car while diagnosing our problems and stuck with it until they found the problem(s). the extended warranty we had purchased covered all repair costs. *jb

2002 escape engine accelerates while driving. *ts consumer was informed of a recall notice (04v574000) and repairs were made. the problem resurfaced again in march 2006. the accelerator cable which was replaced in feb 2005 was only under warranty for 1 year/12000 miles. the customer service rep advised the consumer that she would be responsible for the cost of repair. the seat belts locked up when in use. *jb

I own a 2002 ford escape xlt. since i purchased it in the fall of 2003, at different times both the front passenger door and rear passenger door have gotten stuck where i haven't been able to open them from either the inside or outside of the car. the first incident was the front passenger door, which was fixed when i took it to the dealership. the second incident occurred 4 days ago and the dealer is going to charge me a $300 diagnostic fee to figure out the problem. in addition, periodically, my trunk will not open no matter what i try. then the next day, it will. this has occurred at least 15 times since the fall of 2005. in all of the incidences listed the doors were unlocked, although we tried to lock and unlock them several times to see if it was just stuck. *nm

O/d off light began flashing. apparently, the torque converter failed and the entire transmission had to be replaced. car was only 4 years old with 53000 miles. if i didn't have an extended warranty, the repairs would have cost over $3000. apparently, this same problem exists on the 2002 ford explorer as well. *nm

My low miles - 2002 ford escape almost killed my wife on saturday. the differential went on my 2002 ford escape premium edition (not worth the extra money) and almost through the vehicle off the road. it has been reported while it was under warranty and they kept changing the transmission fluid. ferrario ford of elmira heights ny claims that that was the right thing to do when it was under warranty. now it is going to cost $4000 to fix and no one is accepting responsibility for almost killing my wife with their negligence or paying for it because it has the lowest warranty in the biz. if you have a similar story i'd love to hear it: [email protected] or 315-491-9629. henry willcox. *nm

Approx 1 year ago - our 2002 ford escape started to smoke while sitting in the garage. when we got it to the dealer is was found that the wiring harness where it connected to the abs ecu unit had shorted due to brake fluid getting into connector. when the shop disconnected the wiring harness connector, the next day, the fluid ignited burning up the harness. the estimated cost to fix was $2000 dollars, replacement of the harness and ecu unit. which since the majority of the damage was done in the shop ford did cover the cost of the repair. i am just filling this as i have seen that this issue is under investigation, and thought that i should report our incident. *jb

Recently, i was involved in an accident where the front end of my 2002 ford escape was totaled. the airbags never released. luckily, i had been wearing my seat belt, and did not suffer from an injury. summary: 1. event(s) leading to failure: collision with another vehicle 2. failure: air bags did not release; consequences: none 3. correction: n/a. *nm

The key lock cylinder has been defective for quite a period of time in that it allows me to take out the keys when the vehicle is in drive or reverse. car has rolled on some occasions. so far i have caught the problem before anything is damaged but i know for all the cars i have owned it is not proper that the keys can be withdrawn while in drive. i just reported it to the ford dealer 10-22-06 and they said it was not correct but there had been no recall so probably i would have to repair at my own cost. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while parking a bystander noticed smoke billowing from under the hood. the ignition would not turn off so the battery was disconnected and the smoke stopped. the vehicle was towed to an auto collision facility, where it has not been inspected by a mechanic. *ak

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 70 mph on an interstate, smoke was observed to be coming from behind the vehicle and flames were coming from under the hood. there was nothing unusual about the way the vehicle was operating before the fire started. the type of fire was classified as fuel. the service dealer was notified who determined that a rod shot threw the engine and made a large hole that caused the fire in the motor. the service dealer was willing to repair the motor if the contact would make a co-payment. the manufacturer was not alerted. a police report was taken. this occurred in state of arkansas.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 mph, the vehicle stalled completely, however was able to be restarted immediately. the vehicle had previously been taken to a private repair shop for the same issue, where the mechanic determined that the transmission control module may have been faulty. the work for nhtsa recall #04v165000, pertaining to the automatic transmission control module had previously been performed, but since then the problem persisted and became progressively worse.

I have a 2002, ford escape with 92,000 miles on it. there has been no major problems with ethe vehicle leading up to the failure that i am describing in this statement. on october 31, 2006 i was driving east-bound on m59, just east of schoenherr road in sterling heights, mi. i was approx.15 miles from my home in auburn hills, mi and had approx. 10 minutes left untile i would have reached my destination. this was the first time that i had driven the vehicle all day. it was approx. 47 degrees farenheit and about 3:35pm. it was not raining, but a little windy. upon making a stop just past the trafic light (due to heavy traffic dlays), i noticed smoke coming out of the engine compartment from under the hood. within a minute of noticing the smoke outside, smoke started coming through the dash of my vehicle and into the interior cab. i rolled down the windows and made it into a parking lot, wher i had to evacuate the vehicle. upon putting out the fire and inspecting the vehicle, the fire department was unable to determine the cause of the fire. the insurance adjustor looked at the vehicle today and we are still awaiting the insurance company's opinion as to the cause of the fire and what they will be willing to do about it.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 40 mph, the vehicle stalled. it was maneuvered off the road and restarted however, the vehicle would not accelerate past 20 mph and stalled again when the brake pedal was depressed. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who determined the pcm, six ignition coils and six spark plugs needed to be replaced.

In 2004, my 2002 ford escape, after being parked overnight, caught fire. the fire was traced by the dealer to the abs computer. the vehicle was past warranty and ford motor company denied repeatedly that there was any possibility of any defect, or that there was any manufacturer responsibility. calls to ford's customer hot line were handled in an unsatisfactory manner. the vehicle was repaired using new parts. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while parked in the driveway for one day, the vehicle caught on fire. the fire extinguished itself. the vehicle was driven to the dealer who replaced the abs module and a wiring harness. updated 01/17/07. *jb the consumer stated the abs light illuminated and stayed on until the abs module was replaced. the right front wheel bearing was replaced.

Ford escape 2002 - we have had an ongoing problem with the abs and brake lights staying on. we have had it into a ford dealership several times, who was not able to fix it, and an independent mechanic who was finally able to identify that it was the antilock braking system's electronic control module causing the issue. just read an article concerning an ongoing investigation into engine fires possibly caused by this module and are very concerned that we could be next. we first took it into the dealer the month our warranty expired so i am putting the "incident date" in for that month.

Air bag light came on. it stays on. i was told by the dealer that when this happens the air bags are immediately shut off as there is a error code. this has happened three times before and each time the passenger side pretensioner was replaced. twice the dealer covered it and the third time the dealer said it was out of warranty and they wouldn't fix it. seems like if they fixed it right the first time it wouldn't have happened again. now it has happened again. and once again the dealer said i am on my own. now i am driving a car with no air bags and i specifically brought it because of the airbags.

I bought my 2002 ford escape in may of 2005, the dealership had to rebuild the transmission 3 days later at 80k because it was slipping between gears. now a year and half later, i've been told by a specialist that i need a new transmission, which will cost me $2500 - $4000! the dealer will not warranty their work because it has been over a year since the service, but i've only put 20k miles on it! the transmission specialist explained that the 2002 escape has the same transmission as a mazda 626, which is notorious for failing. he said even if i pay to have it replaced, it will fail again. *nm

I took my car in for repair on 4/22/06 because my abs light had been on for a few days. i was told that my right drive axle needed to be replaced and that replacing that could possibly solve the problem with my abs light. it did not. i was then told that i might need a new abs module. i was advised that the repair shop would call the following monday with a price and that my car was safe to drive. *jb

At first start up of morning, while driving the idle kicks up to 2000 rpm's. when i stop the car and put it in neutral, that's where i notice the tach revving to 2000. after driving for 3 to 5 miles, it finally goes to normal. if i shut off car, and restart it, its fine. i had the car to the dealer several times to no avail, the put a recorder device in the car and when i noticed the problem, i was to push the button. they sent the box to ford, who in turn said it was supposed to do that. i am at a standstill right now, with no fix in site. the vehicle is harder to stop in the mornings due to the increased idle. this started right before the 3 year bumper to bumper warranty expired. it is continuing to happen to date. thank you. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 35 mph, the abs light and emergency brake light illuminated constantly. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer. while being inspected by the dealer, the vehicle began to smoke. the dealer determined that there was an electrical problem with the abs wiring and that all the wiring needed to be replaced at an estimated cost of $1600. the dealership refused to honor the extended warranty and the owner refused to pay for the repair costs out of pocket. dealer then refused to return the vehicle to owner without repair due to fire hazard. the dealer assisted the owner with the purchase of a 2006 mercury mariner by paying off the remainder of the loan balance on the ford escape updated 10/25/2006 - *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the oil light illuminated intermittently during normal braking situations. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer, who determined that the vehicle lost oil pressure due to scoring in the cam journals. the manufacturer recommended a complete replacement of the engine.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 25 mph, the airbag light illuminated intermittently, then became constant. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer where it was determined that a seat belt assembly pretensioner kit needed to be installed for the driver and passenger sides. the wiring for the airbag was also inspected, and it was determined that the wiring needed to be replaced. the contact stated the problem occurred 4 times. the manufacturer was alerted but denied the claim.

For the past 3 months, while decelerating to stop, my vehicle will cut off, also occurring when i decelerate in busy traffic. on one instance while pulling across a highway, my vehicle stalled and i was almost hit in the side by an oncoming car because i could not get the car started again. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 65 mph on normal road conditions, the left rear tire made a noise. upon visual inspection it was noticed that the tire had completely separated from the tread belt. the tires were the vehicle's original ones and had only 25800 miles. the vehicle had not been to the dealership for replacement. the tire size was p225/70r15.*ak updayed 10/4/2006 - *nm

2002 ford escape xlt caught fire under the hood. *kb the vehicle was towed to the dealer who replaced the booster, hcu and hcu harness. after doing some research the consumer believes the fire was the result of a faulty cruise control deactivation switch. this switch had been recalled in 1994-2002 ford f150's, navigators and expeditions. . *nm

In april 2005 my airbag light came on. took it to ford autoland and was told i needed to pay to have some switch or module replaced cost over 400.00 dollars. had the repairs completed and now 18 months later same problem and i am told i have to pay another $400 to fix same problem. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle stalled numerous times while traveling at various speeds. on 08/24/06, the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop who determined that the automatic transmission module was not operating correctly. there was a nhtsa recall, #04v165000, regarding the power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm, pcm). the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin.

Dt*: the contact stated the check engine light illuminated. the dealership determined the vehicle misfired on cylinder #1 and the engine needed to be replaced.

Dt*: the contact stated the transmission failed suddenly without warning while driving 72 mph. the vehicle was towed to a dealership who determined the transmission needed to be replaced. there were no problems with the vehicle prior to the incident. updated 9/15/2006 - *nm

Since having my 2002 ford escape, i have had ongoing problems with my airbag light staying on. on occasion it goes off, but always comes back on again. the problem began within a few months of purchasing my escape and took 4+ visits to rectify. the problem resurfaced again last year. i was recently quoted $400.00 to get this fixed. it seems unreasonable to have to pay so much money to get this fixed when there is a clear pattern of it being a problem with escapes, and is an issue that is not related to driver recklessness or usage patterns. *nm

Ford 02 escape. value body transmission issues, metal shavings in transmission fluid, car only 4 years, 80k highway miles. car maintenance kept up. two ford dealerships telling me it could cost 1 to $2000 to fix. ford company would not help. can provide control number. dealership will not take responsibility. this has to be a manufacture issue. dtc codes tested po741 & p1744. control# 14998722626. please help. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated that the vehicle's passenger side door did not open from both sides. the dealership determined that the door panel needed to removed to locate the problem but had not inspected the vehicle for repair.

My car had been parked for hours and all of sudden the alarm started going off. i went outside to get it to go off and realized there was smoke coming out from under the hood. the alarm wouldn't go off and eventually quit but the smoke kept coming and i realized there were actual flames. the fire department came and disconnected the battery so the car wouldn't have another chance of sparking up. presently, i have the vehicle in a ford dealership shop. they said that the fire started at the wiring harness that plugs into the abs modular. the wiring harness and some other part are being ordered to be replaced. as far as they know that needs replaced and there may be more once they actually start taking the car apart and seeing what else was damaged. the fire probably burned for a good 10 minutes. *jb

2002 ford escape accelerates while driving. consumer was informed of a recall notice (04v574000) and repairs were made. problem resurfaced again in march 2006.*kb the accelerator cable which was replaced feb 2005 was only under warranty for 1 year/12000 miles. the customer service rep advised the consumer that she would be responsible for the cost of repair. the seat belts locked up when in use. *nm updated 09/11/06. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 10 mph, the steering wheel locked. the contact then reversed and put the vehicle back in drive. after traveling a short distance, the vehicle would not move. the contact noticed the front driver side wheel was turned the opposite direction of the other tires. the vehicle was towed to the dealership, where it was determined the tie rod fractured and because the vehicle was driven after this, the axle fractured as well. the tie rod and axle were replaced. updated 7/14/2006 - the dealer informed the consumer that the tie rod fractured due to rust. *nm

Follow up to an earlier report regarding a 2002 ford escape xlt with ignition coil problems. on may 30, the vehicle lost another ignition coil (3 previously had died) after sitting overnight in a rainstorm. this problem seems to manifest itself when it has been raining or very humid. the truck was taken to macquire ford and was again diagnosed with a failed number 1 ignition coil. the coil was replaced at a cost of $390. the truck was picked up friday, june 2, driven home and parked. when we went to drive the truck at 6pm that night, the check engine light came on and the truck ran rough. the dealer wasn't happy to see us back saturday morning. this time coil number 3 had gone. no one knows why 5 coils have now failed at the cost of $1300. the final original coil has also been replaced. no one at ford can give an answer and i am out a considerable amount of money and i somehow doubt this problem will be resolved. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated during the night, the vehicle alarm sounded. when the vehicle was approached, it was noticed that smoke was coming from under the hood. the police and fire department were alerted to the scene. a police report was filed. the fire department determined it occurred in the engine compartment and it was an electrical fire. the vehicle was operating normal prior to the fire. the vehicle is currently at a local dealership awaiting further inspection. the manufacturer has been alerted.

Left rear door is jammed closed. will not unlock either electrically or manually. door cannot be opened from inside or outside handle. dealer is very helpful but unable to repair. ntsb lists several of same complaint but ford has no solution. only one remaining exit from rear and likely to fail from same design and trap passengers. *jb

I own a 2002 ford escape xlt which i purchased new in 2001. last june, i did not use the vehicle for several days during which time it rained. when i went to start the engine, it ran sluggishly and shuddered. after a few moments, the engine light came on and the truck began emitting smoke. i turned the engine off, called my local dealer, varney ford, and had the vehicle towed there. i was told that the #3 "spark plug coil" (ignition coil) had burned out. i was told that moisture had entered the coil. no explanation for how that was happening was given. cost $180 to repair. yesterday, after several days of rain, i went to once again start my truck. it exactly repeated the previous incident. this time however, i drove the truck to the dealer...it could not travel more than 30 miles an hour. i was told that this time coils number 4 and 6 had failed. cost this time $325. once again i was told moisture had somehow gotten into the coil system. so in other words, i own a truck that cannot sit idle for even a day in rainy or damp weather without a coil burning out. from what i gather from reading the travails of other escape owners is that this is not an uncommon problem. ford says "there must be a pin hole somewhere that they will never be able to fix". while this wouldn't present a problem if i elected to live in a desert environment, it will continue to be an expense and render the truck useless in inclement weather. thank you. heidi robbins. *nm

1) on saturday 18 at approximately 2:00 pm, my wife, linda, was driving approximately 50 miles west of broadus, mt when she passed another vehicle. 2) after passing the vehicle, her vehicle speed would not return to normal driving speed. instead, it stuck at nearly 80 mph. numerous attempts to release the speed, even applying maximum braking pressure, had no effect. linda turned off the ignition and coasted to a stop at the side of the road after negotiating a curve that could easily have caused a roll-over. linda tried restarting the motor, but it was still racing, and the tachometer reached 5000 rpms. 3) fortunately, another motorist who was familiar with automobiles, stopped to give assistance. he disconnected the cruise control. this allowed the motor to return to normal speed, and linda was able to continue and complete her trip home. the assisting motorist did indicate that the cable to the cruise control seemed to be loose. upon checking various web-sites,including the nhtsa site, i found that a recall had been issued in 2004 for this very problem (nhtsa campaign id number : 04v574000). i called the ford motor company recall information site (1-866-436-7332) but was told that because of where my escape was manufactured, it did not qualify for free repair. as of now my vehicles cruise remains disabled. i think this is a design flaw not a manufacturing problem based on place of manufacture. therefore, i believe ford should cover the cost of repair. *nm

Small impact under 5 miles per hour and my air bags deployed. no damage to my car at all. was having a problem for a year with my srs air bag light coming on. took it to ford several times and nothing resolved the issue. seems that the sensor was not working properly and my air bags should not have deployed. ford will not cover the "high" cost of replacing the air bags under warranty. dealer was shocked that there was no damage at all to my car and the air bags deployed. *nm

I was driving down a dark country road last week when my high beam headlights went out. i consider this a safety problem. i switched to low beams which worked. saturday morning i went to the local ford dealer. no mechanic was on duty ;but the owner verified the lights did not work. he said to bring it back monday for a mechanic to check it. monday the mechanic checked it out and could not find the problem. the lights worked on monday. he said to bring it in when they were not working so they could get an error code. well, i had done that. the problem is intermittent and the lights work now. i contacted ford customer service; but i cannot find out if other cars are having a similar problem. i was advised to take it back to the dealer if it happens again. the problem is they have to catch it while it is happening. also the dealer is not open at night. i would like to know about others who have the same problem and if they know how to fix it.*jb

Dt*: the contact stated the airbag light illuminated indicating a problem. the vehicle was taken to the dealership who determined there was a problem with the seatbelt harness. the vehicle is being repaired.

Rear driver side passenger door latch failed and door will not open. *jb

Car lost control coming toward me, she went into my lane sideways. i t-boned her on her passenger side of vehicle. seat belt saved my life, but the airbags were of no use. why don't the airbags deploy on these vehicles. if i had been traveling at a much faster speed or her, i probably would have been seriously hurt or killed. *jb

When starting off, or accelerating the gas pedal has a hesitant/sticking sensation. it requires more than normal pressure to depress it, and causes an unexpected increase in the engine speed. there is a current recall from the v-6 3.0 engines, but not for my 4-cyl. *jb

Wife parked vehicle on steep uphill driveway. placed in park and turned ignition off. exited drivers side and walked behind vehicle to passenger side continuing to mailbox. while at mailbox observed vehicle abruptly roll backward crossing the path where she had just walked behind the vehicle, across street and over curb hitting tree. neighbor in their front yard also observed this. vehicle sustained significant damage. called ford corp offices to ask for review of this by their safety engineers. a cursory review by the dealer indicated no obvious transmission linkage or other adjustment problem. ford refuses any further review and shows little interest in finding any potential safety issue. i see similar reports of this in numbers 10031648, 568244, 10073682 and 10026175. there are also many reports of loss of control in other scenarios such as 10073741, 10087902, 10091048, 10092635 and 10108659. did not review complaints on similar models such as mazda tribute nor other year escapes which may have similar issues. i find it hard to believe that ford engineered the car to back down a hill, while unoccupied, in park, with the ignition off. but apparently they consider this normal and of no consequence. unfortunately, someone will have to be hurt and the economics turn against ford before they will get involved. reminds me of their safety issues with ford crown victoria's that continue to explode in flames when hit from the rear. *jb

Airbag light is on and airbags not working. according to complaints found on the internet and in chat rooms and with ford issuing diagnostic trouble codes this is a long term ongoing problem which the dealership has difficulty fixing. so i am at risk of injury or death because ford made a faulty airbag system. please investigate and issue a recall. *jb

Dt: the contact stated while driving at 50 mph the vehicle felt as though it shifted into neutral. he turned on the hazard lights and pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road. the vehicle was then towed to the dealership. they replaced numerous parts in the transmission. the vehicle is operating correctly at this time. *ak updated 12/7/2005. *nm

If you could please forward me any other resources where i can seek a resolution i would greatly appreciate it. on 7-14-05 our ford escape v6 xlt (vin: [xxx]) was taken to galpin ford (van nuys, ca) for repairs. the problem was that while stopped the vehicle suddenly accelerated, resulting in the accelerator being stuck and the vehicle moving forward. the vehicle had to be put in park in order to avoid a collision. the vehicle was then taken in on 7-14-05 where tech's diagnosed the problem w/ an "stp sensor malfunction", resulting in the sensor being replaced. according to [xxx] (svc. advisor) he related that this may be a problem on newer ford escapes, but not on our specific vehicle. he said to contact ford corporate to seek reimbursement. on 7-17-05 i contacted corporate explaining them of the problem. although, they admitted it was a safety issue, they stated there was no recall for our specific model and year. they said at this time they could not assist with the matter. as stated before i am seeking assistance in this matter due to ford's poor history for automotive safety. *jb information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Bumped the bumper of the car in front of me at a traffic light, no visual damage to the front of my vehicle. both airbags deployed. speed at the point of impact near 5 miles per hour or less. airbag deployment broke the windshield and caused slight injury to left arm. *jb

Dt: the contact drove through a patch of snow in the road and the vehicle's rear end spun around and hit another vehicle. the contact believed that the abs sensor, that was replaced by the dealership ,caused this accident. the contact sustained injuries do to the seat beat buckle breaking during the accident. *ak

Wipers stopped working in the middle of the windshield and will not go back to their parked position. *nm

Defective cruise control cable will lock throttle in full open position when the gas pedal is fully depressed. polymer sleeve on cruise actuator cable has broken at the throttle connector. this allows the connector to rotate to a vertical position and catch on the engine cover when the foot pedal is pressed to the floor. *jb

Have 2002 ford escape and 3 years and 7 months later the odometer lcd lights goes out. *jb

I brought my 2002 ford escape in for its 45k mile service and was told by the dealer that the rotors needed replacement. i said the pads have not yet worn out though. they said i was lucky to make it this far. most escapes have them wear out at 30k or less due to poor quality and too thin rotors. dealer said cost to replace rotors and pads will be $338.00 including labor to replace. *nm

Trans has had to be repaired replaced rebuilt over 14 times in less than 100,000 miles and less than 2 years. the overdrive light starts blinking and the car jerks when the car shifts up or down, except the time i could only go in reverse and had to let the car roll into a parking lot off of a busy street. *jb

Dt: the contact stated 2002 ford escape caught on fire on 4-4-05 in front of the dealership where she bought it. the vehicle was parked. the fire originated from under the hood. the day before on sunday she was having problems starting the car. her brother had to jump it to get it started; he then drove it around the block. when he took the key out of the ignition, the vehicle was still running. she put the key back in, put it in gear, and put it back in park and turned the ignition and took the key out. she drove it to the dealership where she bought it. the vehicle was turned off when she left. the next day the fire department called her and told her the car had caught on fire at the dealership and was totaled. the fire department did tell the contact they thought the fire was electrical.*ak

My 2002 ford escape with 52000 miles on it was great until last week when it stalled in the middle of a busy road with no shoulder late at night. i had to have it towed to the dealer where they told me that i needed a new battery because it was leaking acid (huh?) and that they would kindly put in the two recall parts one of which might be causing the problem (pcm i believe). the strange thing was about two hours after i had stalled i could start the car again fine but i figured they would still want to see it since it could be a dangerous situation. however, they did not find anything wrong with the car and sent me on my way. then last night my car wouldn't start...sounds were very similar to the time before only this time i wasn't driving i was in a parking garage. so i gave up and called a friend and decided to have it towed in th emorning when the dealer was open. only in the morning my car started fine again. i drove to the dealer anyway though because this was not very safe and figured they would want to look it over. problem. they said they can't do anything unless the problem is actually occuring so i would have to wait until it happens again. this didn't sit well with me so i called ford and they said the same thing. then i went online and did a search and it seems i am not the only one with this problem but no one seems to have an answer. i am nervous because i sometime drive on busy highways and if it stalls i might end up in a crash but ford didn't seem to care about this scenario. i am at a loss and want a better answer then wait until it happens again but i thought i should file a complaint in case others are having the same problem and to warn other drivers about following too close to a ford escape.

Dt: the contact stated while unlocking the driver's side door the tailgate locked. the contact had previous problems with the door locks, and they have been repaired. but the tailgate has not been repaired. the contact contacted the service dealer, but they wanted to charge him for repairs. he has not contacted the manufacturer.*ak

Steering started to clunk and bind on occasion. effort would go up but it would respond when turned. it rapidly got worse where it would clunk and bind and skip a section while turning. only three days from start to skipping while turning. finally it was skipping and binding on every turn. took to dealer they found rack and pinion was bad. (the car was never in an accident or taken off road.) rack was ordered and replaced.*ak

My 2002 ford escape has had too many problems since i have owned it. i purchased the vehcile used in march of 2005 with 23k miles. it now has 30k. please note it is still under warranty, however i feel the vehcile is riddled with problems to date: the cd4e automatic transmission was replaced at 4500 miules by the previous owner(performed by ford) along with the front wheel bearings and retainer rings. since i have owned the vehicle: 1. the vehcile stalled while driving along. the pcm was re-flashed by ford, however it still feels like it will stall at certain times. 2. the thermostat housing leaked antifreeze and took three trips to the dealer to fix it. 3. the accerlerator cable was replaced under recall. 4. the rear glass rattles as the latch looks worns out already. 5. the engine had valve train noise and the camshaft retainers were replaced 6. the engine leaked oil due to the dealers faulty repair 7. the fan assembly/blower motor bearings have failed and a new part is on order. i am very upset and disapointed in the quality of this vehicle and i question it as i have no confidence it it.

Dt: ford 2002 escape caught on fire. the fire was coming from the front driver's side dash engine compartment. this happened on july 27, 2005. the fire department and police department responded to the scene. the fire was contained in the vehicle. the walls in the garage had heavy smoke damage. they had to cut the garage door to get in. the consumer can't sleep in the house due to the smoke damage. *ak *jb *sc phone interview update (november 7, 2005): drove the vehicle for two hours. the vehicle was parked in the town house garage for an hour before it caught fire. the vehicle was totaled. the heaviest damage was at the drive side firewall area. the yellow engine warning light was on three weeks ago; the dealer said bring the vehicle in when the next oil change is due.

Dt: vehicle lost power in the middle of traffic, thought it was fuel injectors. put fuel injector cleaner and better gas but a couple of weeks later. the mechanic said the the idle air control motor was*ak bad. the mechanic did replace it and have the part. the vehicle started doing this around june 1, 2005. have not contacted dealer.

7/5/2005. i was in baltimore, md in my 2002 ford escape. trafic was moderately heavy. i started to change lanes and noticed a car in the lane so i pulled back into my lane at which point, the throttle on my vehicle stuck open. the engine was racing and attempts to brake were useless. i threw the moving vehicle into park where it continued to move. i then tried to shift to neutral in hoipes of regaining braking, but i hit reverse first, at which point my car rapidly reversed into another vehicle. damage to the vehicles was limited as i hit a 3500 chevy silverado truck, however, it was one of the most unnerving experiences i have ever had. the police were called as the other vehicle belongs to the city of baltimore department of public works. no traffic report was written by the police officer, however, the baltimore city employee (darell powers) did fill out an accident report for the city. my vehicle was towed to carmax in white marsh md, where they told me the cause was the cruise control cable had frayed, causing it to butterfly and hold open the throttle. the escape has 53,002 miles on it, and cruise control is rarely used. i do have the replaced part and the bill i paid for $291. one other note, ihad to have the engine replaced on this same car 45 days after i purchased it last july. carmax paid for the replacement cost, close to $4,000 and the mechanic who serviced it this time insists this is not related.

I have a 2002 ford escape, manual transmission with 66,000 miles on it. coming home from a weekend trip the clutch stuck and would have to be pulled up with your foot when having to slow down in traffic. we were able to pull off the road and call for assistance and towing to a garage where we were told that the master cylinder had went out.the mechanic said that this was very unusual for it to happen to a car this new. have there been any other complaints similar in nature to this?

Dt: the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. he states that the dealership was refusing to do the recall repair. he has contact the ford manufacturer and they told him he would have to take this matter up with the dealership. the nhtsa campaign id number is 04v165000. the recall was because the car would decelerate rapidly. the dealership that he is having the problems with dublin ford dublin, ca. *nm

On several occasions, my 2002 ford escape has stalled out in the middle of intersections, on the freeway, and at many inopportune times!!!!! i have been quite scared to drive my suv any more. it starts to chug like it is not getting any fuel, the check engine light will come on, and the suv will immediately die. i lose my power steering, my brakes, my everything! and almost get hit. i have taken my escape in for service several times, but they claim that it is just a glitch in the computer, and reset it. then they told me that they could never get it do what i was saying, so i had to come in right when it was doing it, or they wouldn't be able to help. in the mean time, i have stalled out several more times, gone in, and no one can figure out what is wrong. i have heard from several people that this is happening with many ford escapes, and i am scared that the situation will escalate to me being in an accident, or my suv starting on fire when it gets so warm.

The vehicle was being driven at roughly 35 miles per hour when the tachometer suddenly surged and the vehicle began to loose speed. the transmission had obviously failed to engage. putting the transmission into 2nd gear allowed the transmission to re-engage and the vehcile began to surge forward. an attempt was made to drive the vehicle to a dealership about 7 or 8 miles away. the transmission continued to to engage and disengage for the next several miles. finally, it disengaged one last time and did not engage again. since it was on a main street, the vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road of a side street. the vehicle was towed to kreiger ford in columbus ohio. this took place a friday. the dealership was informed that a complaint was made about the transmission slipping and then thudding into gear on 1st to 2nd gear shifts on a service call prior to the experation of the warranty. at that time the dealership assured the owner that there was nothing wrong with the transmission. on this incident, not only did the car have to be towed in, but the dealership was also informed that the motor on the rear window wiper had failed and the cd player would no longer eject the cds. on monday the dealership called to inform the owner that the transmission had totally failed and would have to be replaced at a cost of $3500. within an hour the dealership called back and said the ford was willing to put a rebuilt transmission into the vehicle, repair the wiper motor, do the 60,000 mile maintnenace, extend the drivetrain warranty to 100,000 miles, and repair the cd player for $1500. this is preposterous. no transmission should fail at 61,000 miles. and after reading the incidents reported here, it is becoming apparent that there is a problem with the transmission on the escape.

Intermitten engine idle/stalling during engine start and driving conditions even after pcm recall work. dealership test drove and broke down on side of road, verdict is said to be transmission related. vehicle has 48,000 miles.

After a short errand, vehicle was parked. minutes later, fire erupted under the hood, apparently from a wiring harness. motor area appears to be a complete loss. it was determined that he fire originated in the abs control modulator. the insurance company determined that ford was responsible for the incident and has been attempting to recoup their money. *nm

In watching the news about ford suv's catching on fire, one of the warning signs was a brake light going out or the cruise control light on the dash. i have a 2002 escape, and recently have replaced two brake lights going out. i only have 40000 miles, yet i did not see a recall on this car concerning this. has this happened to any escapes model year 2002 ??

2002 frod escape seat belt tensioner failure causes failure of the air bag safety restraint system. seat belt tensioners (both at once!) failed, part numbers 1l8z78610e22aaa and 1l8z78610e23aaa.

Since taking posession of a new 2002 ford escape xls in september 2001, i have noticed that the cushioning on the left side of the drivers seat was not as dense as the cushioning on the opposite side. the left portion of this seat has remained compressed through normal daily use, and will not spring back to match the opposite side. this has created a somewhat unlevel seating position with respect to a driver "leaning" into the driver's side door. i have just noticed that because of this compression, cracks and tears have formed in the vinyl upholstery trim where the creases are most apparent, and look only to get worse through repeated use. i have been informed that since my vehicle is out of warranty, i would be responsible for repairs to this seat.

Dt: while driving at speed of about 62 mph, it was dry and clear, the car in front slowed down ,and as consumer was applying the brakes the side wall of tire blew out. there was crash, no roll over. the tire has not been inspected, but the insurance was going too. took pictures, and got all the information that on the tires.*ak

I have a 2002 ford escape xlt with appoxamately 48000 miles on it. i feel that i need to bring to someones attention what i have learn at my local ford authorized sevice facility (putnam lincoln-mercury) about the pretensioners. i must note that the vehicle had recently hit in the rear bumper causing very minimal damage and not causing the airbags or pretensioners to go off. however, shortly thereafter, i was on a 400 mile trip and the airbag light began to blink on and off, flickering often times. i took the car to the dealershiip upon my return home for diagnosis. the dealership said that it is due to bad pretensioners, a part of the seatbelt, for both front seats and also the harness(s) need replacement as well. the technician said this is a very commen problem and that ford even has a kit for it. the price that was quoted to properly repair the problem was $460 plus tax. that is a considerable amount of money for anyone, especially since its such a new car. i am a concerned that not repairing it could be bad if the car is ever involved in a head on collision. i am also concerned that the technician tells me this is a common problem and ford hasn't issued a recall. i am told that this maybe due to most escapes are still under warrenty and hasn't come to light yet as most people haven't had to pay for it. so far there has been no one hurt. the only negative consequence is that i will be about $500 poorer after getting it repaired. the repair was quoted $460 plus tax (9.38%). the repair is supposed to consist of 2 kits, drivers and passengers side pretensioner kits. i was also told that it may need new seat belt assemblies, not included in the quote, but they may not be nessicary. the technician also said that the mild rear impact had no effect on these going bad.

Just after the warranty period on my 2002 ford escape expired, i started having trouble with the transmission, specifically, the transmission would not engage in reverse without revving the engine and having the gears jump into place, causing the vehicle to lurch backwards. when i contacted my local ford dealership where i had purchased the suv, i expressed to them my displeasure in having transmission trouble at only 35,000+ miles and was informed that it was not unusual to need a new transmission at that odometer reading, and, indeed, they had replaced transmissions as early as 12,000 miles. i contacted my regional ford corporate headquarters about the problem without any success. on thursday, may 12, while traveling 55 miles per hour on the highway, the transmission failed, with the car sounding like i was revving the engine in neutral, and i was losing power quickly. i had to get off the road quickly and was unable to engage the transmission in any gear. after having the car towed to a transmission facility in indianapolis, i was told that the problem did not originate in the transmission, but was the result of a ground circuit problem. ford constructed the car with the ground running through the transmission, which means that every time the car is started the high voltage running through the transmission melts the gears together. additionally, the transmission was leaking onto the front suspension, which meant the ball joints needed to be replaced as well. the transmission company rebuilt the transmission, replaced the ball joints, and added an additional ground so that the problem would not happen again, which resulted in a total cost of $3655.

The vehicle was traveling about 70 mph in the far right lane when all of a sudden driver heard a loud explosion from the front of the vehicle. driver pulled over immediately due to smoke coming inside the vehicle. the driver got out and watched the vehicle burn within 7 minutes. *ak the white smoke seemed to indicate a fuel line. *sc

2002 ford escape experiencing problems with accelerator even after recall repairs were performed.*mr recall campaign, performed on 02/07/05 and still having problem. the accelerator stuck wide open while traveling down the highway. on 03/22/05 the accelerator stuck again. *bf *nm

My 2002 ford escape caught on fire. the transmission failed to shift the vehicle. flames came out from under the vehicle then the vehicle did finally shut off and it was able to come to a stop. it continued to burn, tires exploded, etc. in the end most of the engine was on the ground. the transmission basically fell out of the vehicle. it left a trail of fluid before coming to a stop on the side of the highway. i feel brandon ford body shop is at fault and did not prpperly repair the vehicle after an august 2004 collision. i believe there are also bad parts on the vehicle and i have heard of others having this same fire problem with ford escape and focus. the vehicle was totaled.*ak

"recall campaign" - recall notice received for 2002 ford escape in reference to the accelerator cable.*mr the consumer received recall notice jan. 2005. the consumer called the deal in march to have the recall work done. the dealer informed the consumer that it was too late to get the repair. they stated if the vehicle was brought in jan or feb they would have done it. the repair were made at another dealer. *bf *nm

My name is nicole williams, i purchased a ford escape suv on august 22, 2002 from day ford in pittsburgh, pa on august 22, 2002. i have been have many problems with my vehicle since i purchased it. prior to moving to florida in june, i had the car serviced again and was told i need new rotors, brakes and tires.i moved to florida, and on january 2005, i had to replace the clutch because it had rust and corrosion on it. the service tech question all the rust under the vehicle and i told him that i did not know why there was so much. n march 18th, i was in a car accident and my front end was damaged. i had the car taken to matthew currie ford, where they service my car. i picked up the car on april 20, 2005 and was still having problems with it. i thought it was from the accident. i was told on april 21, 2005 that i need new spark plugs. i told them that i was not paying for it and that they need to call aig. on april 22, 2005 the service manager called me to tell me that my car had water damage and that it was purchsed this way. i then got a rental car and i called dayford to see what they had to say and how they were going to fix the problem. at first i was told that they did not sell me a car with water damage. then he said he would call me back. well i have not heard anything from them. over the weekend i found out that my car was purchased from kansas city on july 20, 2002 and then serviced on july 27, 2002 by dayford. the sevices were engine serviced, vehicle serviced, suspension system serviced, brakes serviced, state inspection completed, miscellaneous service performed, emmissions system serviced and lubed oil and filter changed. these services were completed with only 3 miles on the car. i pulled the information from carfax and that what it says. *ak

Rear passenger door will not open from inside or outside. spoke with ford numerous times, they will not pay the $400 to be fixed. i am only 1,000 miles over warranty.*ak

The engine light in the consumer's 2002 ford escape illuminated. *nm the error code read p0401. ford released at least four technical service bulletins covering this issue. the main problem was with the egr/dpfe pressure sensor. after the replacement part was installed, the vehicle ran fine. *sc

My steering has a very annoying whinning noise and i have taken it in to be looked at 2 times and they cannot fix it.*ak

Airbag lights continuosly flash. was told by ford service dept at dealer that this could possibly mean that the seatbelts and airbags will not work. cost to fix is $609

My case is exactly similar to customer complaint odi # 10100963 as well as the recall of the 2001 escapes (recall #00v223001). my steering column started to loosen shortly after the warranty expired. the dealer (new brighton ford) fixed it once saying that it was possibly a defect in the column itself and if it loosened again that they would recommended having the steering column replaced. the dealer has now agreed to replace it but at half the cost. this seems too coincidental to be a random issue, especially given the past recall of the same problem. i don't want to pay and have it eventually be covered under a recall. thanks terry olson. *jb

I received a recall notice (ford recall # 04s25) on my 2002 ford escape because of the possibility of the accelerator sticking. i had the recall order worked on at low country ford in summerville, sc on 2/7/05. on 2/18/05 the accelerator stuck wide open. i was able to put the vehicle in neutral and stop without an accident. it was towed back to the dealership and they repaired it again. on 3/22/05 the accelerator stuck again while my son was driving. it was towed and repaired a third time. i refuse to drive this car again. fords recall fix does not solve the problem. *ak

Twice in the past year door latches and/or electric locks have failed such that the door could not be opened from inside or outside the vehicle. first the rear passenger door failed and was repaired at a cost of $400.00 now the front passenger door is experiencing the same symptoms. this could be a considerable safety risk in the event of an emergency. *jb

2002 ford escape with 36,000 miles on it. i had the front brakes survived for the first time on this car and found that rotors cannot be turned even one time on these cars without bringing it below specs. i had to replace both rotors at a cost of $199.00. i complained to ford about this and was told that this was part of normal wear and tear. i have never owned car that had to have rotors replaced with this low mileage before i do not accept this is a normal situation. it is a case of ford putting cheap throw away parts in cars and not disclosing this information to buyers at the time they purchase the car. *jb

(oct. 2003)torque converter failed and had to be replaced around 21,850 mi. under warranty and replaced by dealer. (mar 2005) torque converter failed and had to be replaced again around 38,000 mi. replaced by dealer at a discount to me.*ak ford only guarantees torque converter for 12 mo. or 12,000 mi. should it fail again, estimated cost of repair will be around $1,000.

Fuel pump failed at 45,000 miles and was replaced. *jb

As i was putting up to a red light, i applied the brakes and my automoblie would not slow down. it sped up resulting in me crashing into the car in front of me. when i applied the brakes the car did not slow down at all it sped up to at least 20 to 30 mph. i had recieved a recall for this exact thing happening. ford service manager jason preat has informed that there is nothing wrong with the accelerator cable (what the car has the recall for) and that is not why my car crashed. but i know what happen and ford is responsible for this accident, my loss wages, and other various expends. this car has done this in the past and i thought that i had imaged it. it was never as serve as the last time. the service manager jason preat has denied that the recall on my veichile is the cause of this accident and has told me i would be spinning my wheels to get ford to own up to this.*ak

Vehicle has been recalled 3 times for safety defects. at 25000 miles i was told that i needed to replace the rotors. it is too early for this to be occurring and have found information that this seems to be a complaint that has been frequent on this car make. they replaced the eccellerator cable and now the car seems to be sluggish in eccellerating from a stopped position.*ak

Airbag/restraint system warning lamp is on. initially, it flashed for about 30 seconds, then remained on. vehicle has been to ford dealer for this condition on four previous occasions. previously diagnosed to be a problem with the sensor in the passenger seat and reportedly repaired, but the problem returns in 3 to 9 months. unknown whether airbag and restraint system would properly deploy in a collision.*jb

The windshield wiper fluid would freeze up in the hoses. the consumer was unable to clean the dirt and debris off the front windshield, this caused poor visibility while driving. the dealer was notified. *jb

Vehicle had a sound when being driven. consumer took the vehicle to dealer to see where the sound was coming from. dealer discovered that front wheel bearings, brakes, and rotors needed to be replaced. *ak

The vehicle accelerated uncontrollably into a cement wall while the driver's foot was still on the brake pedal. both frontal air bags deploy. the vehicle was towed to a dealer for inspection. the cause has not been determined at this time. *nm *nm

Consumer experienced two problem with this vehicle on two separated occasions. first, vehicle stalled while driving, consumer tried to restarted, but was unable to do so. secondly, while traveling vehicle started to accelerate uncontrollably. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle. applied the brakes and the pedal went to the floor. consumer was able to pull over. afterwards vehicle was towed on both occasions. mechanic determined that a head gasket blew out, and the speed control cable snapped. the head gasket, and speed control cable needed to be replaced. *ak

Vehicle is experiencing a problem with the transmission. when putting the vehicle in reverse, the vehicle will shut down. owner has contacted the dealer who offered little to the solution. provide further details. *nm

I-4 engine (38k mi)- throttle sticks in closed position. throttle cable is okay, but throttle plate will stick in throttle bore in an unpredictable manner, resulting in inconsistent pedal efforts / performance. sporadic throttle performance results in occasional sudden acceleration during low speed manuvers as throttle becomes "unstuck" from closed position. difficult to anticiopate behaviour in parking lot manuvers has resulted in driver avoiding use of vehicle whenever possible.*ak

My 2002 ford escape with 9,000 miles has a tendency to stall while coasting at an extremely low speed. hitting a slight speed bump is responsible for most of the occurrences. my vehicle has stalled at least 12 times during the last 4 weeks. the problem may be related to an infrequent tendency of a dead instrument panel when starting with a key. if i get out of the vehicle and get back in, it will eventually start except for one time when it had to be towed. but, my complaint is the stalling problem. the dealership has not been successful in fixing anything and they told me that it stalled on them as well. while nobody has hit my dead vehicle yet, it is a concern. thus far, the vehicle has been able to restart after stalling, it is not an easy restart. the stalling has mostly occurred after the vehicle has been driven 3-6 miles and slowed for parking purposes and stalls when i sharpely turn the steering wheel for parking. there is a little speed bump 20 feet from my parking slot in front of my house. i just wish my vehicle would idle faster. *ak

While driving. the accelerator pedal sticks. consumer cannot make a smooth acceleration from a complete stop. the problem was intermittent, you have to depress the pedal so far until it gives, then the vehicle surges forward, and the tires spin. took the vehicle in for the repair. was told the throttle body has to be replaced. please provide any further information. *nm

Front end troubles with ford escape 02 xlt. constant noises coming from the front. dealer changed stability bar, engine mounts and now need to change tie rods and fix steering wheel noise but there is no fix as of yet per the dealership. car is only driven on suburban roads and never been off road.*ak

The steering wheel on my 2002 ford escape with only 37000 miles recently became loose while i was driving.the vehicle's 36000 mile warranty just expired. i took my vehicle to a ford dealership (cowles parkway ford) to get an estimate for the repairs, and was told that the vehicle needs a new steering column (a $400+ cost). before making a decision i did some research on this type of vehicle and discovered that it is a known defect (nhtsa item number: 630120). there is a safety recall for the 2001 ford escape (nhtsa campaign id number : 00v223001 )but not the 2002 model. i was told by someone in the service department that this is a known manufacturer's defect, but i was no longer under warranty, and would have to pay $400+ to get it fixed. i also have called ford costumer service and was also told that they are are not responsible for the cost of repairs because i had exceeded the warranty. i believe ford should be responsible for the cost of the known defective part.i also believe that there are other ford escape on the highways with this same safety issue that need to be recalled. thank you. michael estes . *ak

3 years old, 60,000 miles - transmission has completely blown. its in the shop currently. the oil pan is leaking. the rack and pinion steering is leaking fluid. *jb

The abs braking light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. consumer applied the brakes and pedal went to the floor. consumer was able to stop while pumping the brake three times, and drove vehicle to the dealer for inspection. however, mechanic could not duplicate the problem. *ak

Consumer noticed that the srs light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the air bag sensor needed to be replaced, and replaced it. a few months later the srs light appeared on the dashboard, and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer for inspection. mechanic informed determined that the clock spring needed to be replaced. *ak

I own a 2002 ford escape with 42,600 miles. my problem that i am having is a spongy brake pedal at first, then pedal goes to the floor, and then you get a pulsating, grinding noise in the front brakes and also in the brake pedal. rotors are new; brakes are in good condition, no brake fluid leaks. brakes were bled with no change in problem. when the brake pedal is depressed it sounds like it is sucking air. *jb

Front brake pads and rotors were replaced at 30,000 miles. *jb

Restraint system - airbag sensor light continually on, potential failure of airbag system would not deploy in a crash

While driving under 40 mph vehicle stalled. consumer was concerned that the vehicle will be rear ended.

The consumer noticed that the srs light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic informed the driver that the sensor needed to be replaced. the sensor had already been replaced six times. *jb

While driving consumer noticed that the air bag light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the sensor needed to be replaced, and replaced it. however, the problem recurred. *ak

While driving 45 mph check engine light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. consumer was able to restart vehicle, and took it to the dealer for inspection. mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. *ak

Driving westbound approximately 35 miles per hour, another vehicle turned left in front of me resulting in front end damage to my car. sustained whiplash, treated at hospital and released. continuing care with primary care physician. airbags did not deploy. contacted ford motor company directly to report airbag non-deployment and was told that the airbag system needed to be checked after vehicle repairs are made and results sent directly to ford at my cost. ford then referred the complaint to their legal department. situation currently ongoing. *nm

2002 ford escape xlt, 51,000 miles. during freeway driving, o/d lockout indicator light came on and started flashing. transmission briefly acted as if it was shifting between neutral and drive, then it failed completely. towed to ford dealer for diagnosis. ford dealer says transmission needs to be replaced, but has not diagnosed cause of failure. from researching user forums on the internet, i've learned that ford issued a service bulletin (oasis #16717) in march 2003 advising that the pcm be reprogramed to correct a transmission shudder problem which seems to be a precursor to total transmission failure. pcm reprograming is also required by safety recall 04s13, issued april 2004. i was scheduled to have this recall work done by the dealer, but the transmission failed before recall work was done. from reading user reports on the internet, it seems that tansmission failure at 50-60,000 miles is not unusual for 2001-2003 escapes with a cd4e automatic transmission, at least for ones which have not had the pcm reprogramed as called for in the 2003 service bulletin or the 2004 safety recall.*ak

2002 ford escape xlt has stalled without warning twice. once at approximately 40 mph and the other at 10 mph. i have complained to the dealership (cowles ford, woodbridge, va) since my first maintenance check about my escape hesitating/skipping. does not seems to be getting the proper gas. first couple of maintenance check mechanic said he could not find anything wrong. now, 2 1/2 years later, they keep replacing small parts that do absolutely nothing to remedy the problem. i have now been told by the service manager that this problem does not show up on dianostics test nor on the vehicle computer. i have complained since the first engine stall (40 mph) that my escape is a safety hazard. again i have told the dealership my suv is a safety hazard because i have no advanced warning when the motor will cut off. i have emailed numerous complaints to high management at ford in michegan but have yet to even get an acknowledgement of my complaint. ford seems to be so willing to let customers be injured or killed in their products. on felt like a "valuable ford customer" before i signed on the dotted line and after that i feel like a "victim". shame on ford.*ak

Complaint regarding 2002 ford escape.*mr the vehicle would hesitate, skip and cut off while driving 40 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they replaced a part which the manufacturer indicated was the latest fix for the problem. the part did not repair the problem and the vehicle continued to hesitate e, skip and stall. *nm

We drive a 2002 ford escape. it is driven by both my husband (bill) and myself. while driving we stopped in front of a restaurant to eat. we pulled into parking place, foot on brake to stop and car suddenly accellerated and we almost went into the restaurant window. my husband was able to hold the car back by using a lot of pressure on the brake. he then reached down and turned the key off. we have had this experience on 4 separte occassions and had the car in the garage on 6 occassions for this problem. the last time this happened was 4 weeks ago. i was driving. i pulled into a parking place, had my hand on the gear shift to put into park when the car suddenly accellerated. i was not able to put as much pressure on the brake as my husband and went into a plate glass window of a restaurant that fortunately was not open and being remodeled. i did $4,000 worth of damage to the car and the restaurant is claiming $30,000 damage to their building. again we had it in the garage. they can find nothing wrong with it. it usually happens when your foot is on the brake. we have heard from ford that they can do nothing about it. we are afraid to drive it as sooner or later, when it happens, someone is going to get hurt. we are just looking for a car that works properly. other times when driving along it would accellerate on its own but then cut back. most often when your foot is on the brake for some reason. ford garage can find nothing wrong and ford co. can do nothing about it so they say. *ak

Drivers seat moves foward approx 1/2" on acceleration and stopping. vehicle has noise possible bearing, transmission, or driveshaft like a lope as if something was out of round or has a high spot. it is not the tires.*ak

2002 ford escape xlt, 51000 miles. automatic transmission cd4e. owner's manual and information from ford states that only mercon transmission fluid is to be used, and that use of mercon v transmission fluid will damage transmission. however, cover on transmission dip stick says "use mercon v." dealer flushed transmission at 32000 miles and replaced with mercon v fluid. transmission failed at 51000 miles, requiring complete replacement of transmission. failure happened during freeway driving, but fortunately traffic was light and we were able to coast out of traffic safely. he dealer should have know what kind of transmission fluid to use, regardless of incorrect statement on dip stick cap. however, the misleading dip stick could cause the owner or others to use incorrect type of fluid, with potential to cause complete tranmission failure while driving.*ak

After driving the escape for a few hours...running errands and what not...we park the car for a short time...then the car won't start. it will turn over, but if the gas isn't kept on it stalls. have had the car into the dealer 4 times now and they can't replicate the situation. usually after letting the car sit for several hours, it will start up and run fine. this has been going on for two months now. *jb

When stepping on the brake vehicle accelerated. consumer stated that engine roared. had to step on the brakes with great pressure and it still happened. consumer took vehicle to the dealer on 3 occasions, and each time, they were unable to detect the problem. consumer contacted manufacturer, who denied of the problem. manufacturer sent an engineer to diagnose the problem, and while in his possession, the problem did not duplicate itself. *ak

Went in to a ford dealership in garden grove, ca. i was getting a routine oil change and tire rotation. i was told i needed a complete brake overhall. i balked at the suggestion of the ford associate. i stated "my escape only has 23,000 miles on it and your telling me it needs new rotors, pads on the front, and shoes and drums in the rear". he looked straight at me and said yes you do. i went home took off the tire and discovered it to be true.. the brakes on my 2002 escape are worn out after 23,000 miles. what kind of garbage is that. i'm not hard on my brakes either. if i have to replace them again at 43,000 miles i am going to be very pissed off. if it does happen. i will be trading it in, and it won't be for another ford.*ak

Steering column. his vehicle was involved in a front end collision. the air bags deployed and the steering column completely detached from the dash. i am unaware if this caused further injury to the operator. i am a licensed auto damage appraiser and thought this to be very unusual and potentially unsafe.*ak

Vehicle stalls when put into reverse regularly and occasionally when driving and put into drive. until recently was able to restart almost immediately. upon last stall was not able to restart and vehicle was towed to dealer. this is still occurring after the safety recall 04s13, and a flight recorder with 4 recordings of reverse stalls led to replacement of iac valve, mass air sensor, throttle body assembly, eec relay, dpfe sensor, and a reset of keep alive memory. the most recent stall the vehicle would not restart and remains at the dealer until they can figure out what is wrong or make another guess. this has been occurring and seems to be progressing since shortly after vehicle purchase.*ak

While driving vehicle, noticed that steering wheel was getting harder and harder to turn. after parking vehicle, noticed that steering fluid was leaking onto the ground. this is the 5th repair incident involving this vehicle with the power steering fluid leak. ford dealer and ford rep. claim the problem is fixed each time, but continues to occur every 6-9 months. *jb

2002 ford escape xlt - 38,000 miles. radio turned off by itself, dashboard gages illuminated and then car died. car was able to be re-started but then died shortly after. ford has determined that the alternator has blown. as 38,000 is out of the warranty period, the dealership and ford corporate has declined paying for the repairs. for a vehicle that has been well maintained, it seems that this type of problem should not have occurred so early in the vehicles life. of course considering the many, many issues i have had with this vehicle that were covered i guess i should not be surprised. as a side note, i supply components to the automotive oem's including ford. that is why i bought a ford. after this experience and seeing how ford works internally i don't think i will ever be able to buy one again. alan goldenstein. *ak

Vehicle suddenly surged forward. vehicle is currently at the police garage waiting to be investigated. *ak the consumer was pulling into his driveway, put the vehicle in park and pulled up the emergency brake. the consumer exited the vehicle to retrieve her mail and got back into the vehicle. the consumer put the emergency brake down and proceed to shift the vehicle into drive. when the vehicle was shifted into drive the vehicle accelerated suddenly and could not be stopped, not even by applying the brake. the vehicle went through a garage wall, through a utility room and came out the back of the house and hit a small tree. the air bag did not deploy. the car was totaled. *nm

Intermintant screeching noise from engine compartment. dealer replaced drive belt, stating drive belt had glaze; fixed 12/2003 problem has reoccured 08/2004. *ak

While driving 40 mph rear passenger side window shattered. wi dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

Passenger rear door was locked shut. would not open manually or otherwise. i had problem repaired (still under warranty), but now i think the other rear door and the passenger front door are having the same problem. it is starting to not open on the first try and this is very frusterating and unsettling. *ak

The vehicle still stalls after automatic transmission recall, 04v176000, repair was performed. the dealership was contacted and indicated that did all they can do. *la

2002 ford escape xlt stalling (2 times) and hesitating and engine skipping. complained about engine problems for 2 years. engine stalled at 40 mph and told the dealership my suv was now a safety hazard when the motor cuts off without warning at 40 mph. they replaced what they said was ford's latest part for this problem and i have since had another cut off at 10 mph. there seems to be little effort and no concern from ford about my vehicles safety problem. you would think ford has learned a lesson for ignoring safety problems!!! when i bout my suv i was led to believe i was fords most important customer and they would stand behind what they sale. for sure i am not a valuable customer and they are not standing behind what i thought was an outstanding product.*ak

2002 ford escape was parked in driveway at my residence following returning rentla movies at approximately 11:30 pm on 6/30/2004. at approximately 6:00 am on 7/1/2004, i was awakened by the car alarm. looking at the car from the balcony outside the bedroom window, i could see thick dark smoke coming from under the hood. i took the car keys and manually unlocked the vehicle to get the hood release. as soon as the door was unlocked, the alarm silenced. i then opened the hood and as soon as i did the wiring harness on the driver's side firewall burst into flame. i ran into the garage and got a fire extinguisher and put out the fire. after the fire was out, i could hear a strong electrical hum. at that point i went back the garage and got tools to remove the positive battery terminal. as soon as terminal was removed the sound ceased. the car was later towed to stepp brothers lincoln mercury where it remains as of today. stepp brother has ordered a new wiring harness in order to diagnose the problem and it is still on back order. *jb phone interview update (nov. 7, 05) ford did the repair under warranty and kept the old parts; they said the fire was due to an abs sensor shorted out. mr. evermon also said that he had to fill the master cylinder three times since he purchsed the vehicle.

This concerns a 2002 ford escape with 10,700 miles on it. i was traveling down a very slight grade at less than 20 mph on a clear day approaching a red light at an intersection. when i applied the brakes, the car did not stop. instead, the front of the car just started to uncontrollably jump, bounce and hop up and down. since the car did not slow down, i applied the brakes again and it continued to uncontrollably bounce up and down. there was a car crossing through the intersection in front of me driven by a mother with her young child in the car. in order to avoid hitting that car, i steered my bouncing car to the right, off the road, and into a light pole to stop it. the mother with her 5 year old daughter, who witnessed the whole event, pulled over to see if i was ok and thanked me for not killing them. i have her name and number. a police report was filed. there is a defect in the braking system on this car and i am scared to death to ever drive it again lest i kill or maim myself or someone else. i contacted ford motor co. directly many times, but they gave me the runaround. they said the antilock braking did not need to be checked. when my insurance company, nationwide, became involved ford said that i should now deal with them, nationwide. nationwide is now paying to have my car repaired, but said that there is no need to check the braking system because there is nothing wrong with it, it is my fault and all they can do about it is raise my insurance premium. this is the second time there has been a mechanical failure in this defective braking system and no one seems to care to look into it.*ak

(1) ce light on again (2) vehicle not idling normally (3) vehicle not advancing from stop (4) smell burning oil from engine when shut off, no visible oil leak found on driveway (5) rattling from lf of the vehicle; speed of rattling directly related to speed of vehicle; starts around 25 mph. (6) driver's seat lurches forward on seat track when braking; only occurs with lighter weight drivers. took vehicle to dealer for the 30k mile check & to have them address the issues. dealer did the following - issues 1-4: engine covered in oil upon inspection (second oil leak); leak coming from the front cover & oil pan; dealer replaced the front cover gasket, oil pan gasket, valve cover gaskets, upper intake gaskets, & oil filter; dealer replaced the catalytic converter monitor sensor again (third time). issue 5: dealer did not hear noise coming from lf of vehicle; heard a noise from rear of vehicle; rear lift door latch loose; adjusted/oiled it. issue 6: dealer compared problem with other escapes; found to be a normal condition of power driver's seat to have some play in it (this is very unsafe; seat lurches forward 1-2in when braking; i'm a short female who struggles to sit a min of 10in from the sw for the ab; moving me forward another 1-2in in a crash is not safe). dealer found front brake pads/rotors below specs; stated that this is normal for 30k miles; seems too soon. several complaints filed to nhtsa regarding excessive brake/rotor wear. vehicle was in the shop 7/16-7/23. dealer paid for a rental car (third time). picked up vehicle & drove it off lot; heard rattling from the lf of vehicle. took it back & a mechanic went on test drive with me, heard noise. took it back & inspected vehicle together. i noticed the weather stripping on the left side of the windshield was cracked & detaching from vehicle. had been slapping outside of apillar when driving, making noise. dealer stated they would order new part & i'd have to bring vehicle back again to have it installed. *ak

The check engine light was on again! aving problems with the engine while driving; it will surge and buck. t idle, vehicle would not advance forward once foot was removed from brake. ook vehicle into the dealer; dealer replaced the catalytic converter monitor sensor again!*ak

Had been having a problem with a loud squeaking noise coming from the steering column when turning; checked the nhtsa service bulletins and found a bulletin from june 1, 2003 noting this same problem; check engine light was also on again; i made an appt at dealer to check out these issues (4/7/04). took vehicle in on 4/9/04. dealer found the following problems: noise was coming from the upper steering column because the wiring for the horn was pulled out and rubbing on the contact plate; additional noise found at lower end of steering column dealer deactivated the airbag system to remove and replace the steering wheel and contact; also found that they had to replace the steering column boot, which had to be ordered at the same time, a recall was issued for this vehicle regarding the power train control module; dealer performed the recall vehicle was in the shop from 4/9 - 4/14 and dealer had to pay for a rental car steering column boot was ordered and i had to take the vehicle back into the dealer on 4/23/04 to have them install it. after leaving the dealer on the 23rd, i realized that my horn, cruise control and left brake light were all inoperable, so i took the vehicle back into the dealer on 4/26/04. dealer found that the clock spring was not making contact, so they had to deactivate the airbag again to remove the steering wheel and replace the clock spring; for the rear brake light, the dealer had to replace the bulb element vehicle was in the dealer for two days and they had to pay for a rental car for me again, *ak

Took vehicle to dealer for repair of the sun roof. complaint was already on file. also, dealer replaced the battery. *ak

Check battery light comes on intermittently when starting the vehicle and while driving the vehicle; took vehicle into dealer; dealer replaced the alternator. emergency brake light on dashboard comes on and stays on regardless of whether the emergency brake is engaged; took vehicle into dealer; dealer repaired the short to ground in the brake lamp circuit. *ak

Check engine light came on; took vehicle into dealer; found a faulty catalytic converter monitor sensor; ordered part (10/02/03) took vehicle in again about a week later to have new sensor installed, and an engine oil leak was found; rack and pinion unit was leaking; unit was replaced, and was still found to be leaking so a third unit was installed (10/14/03). *ak

Sun roof sticking during opening.close operation; vehicle was taken into dealer and intermittent operation was verified; faulty sun roof switch was causing the problem; new switch was ordered and installed. *ak at the same time, the coolant light kept coming on and off; no leaks found; problem never identified

Cds were repeatedly sticking in the 6-disc cd changer; sticking in all six slots. took vehicle into dealer. a new cd player was ordered and installed.*ak

Power train slipping. this will be the second transmittion for this 3 year old car. the first went out at 30,000 and now the other one is going. the vehicle is high mileage, but it is one owner and 90% of the miles are highway miles.*ak

Ford escape engines may stall at certain speeds.*mr the consumer's vehicle has stalled three times in the last two years. the consumer contacted the manufacturer about recall related to stalling. the manufacturer explained to the consumer that her vehicle was not included in the recall. *nm

When accelerating or decelerating vehicle hesitated and or stalled. recall 94v165000 was issued. however, vehicle's mileage prevented vehicle to be included in the recall. *ak

Intermittent problem. vehicle will start but will not idle. will stall unless gas is applied at all times. will stall if decelerating. first time problem occurred, power relay search was addressed. then pcm recall was applied, and problem happened again. now dealer says air bypass valve needs to be replaced. car has 42,000 miles on it. *la

1)2002 ford escape died while driving. control of the steering and brakes was lost. )this has happened on two occasions. two different ford service centers are unable to identify the problem. i feel this vehicle is unsafe to drive. i could be in an accident if in any traffic and am unable to recover the vehicle. 3)both ford dealerships were unable to detect this failure on their diagnostic equipment. i contacted ford customer relations and was told to have the car towed to the dealership next time this happens. service department notified me there is a atsb for a pcm reprogram, but did not perform this repair because he cannot guarantee that it will fix the problem. i have all documentation from the service departments regarding these complaints and "repairs".*ak

High revving when in drive,neutral,park. rpm up to 4. noticed when at stop lights that it was revving very high, pulled over and put it in park and the car will rev to 4. i have reported this problem over 6 time to ford dealerships in valencia, ca. and palmdale, ca. they always say they no what the problem is and they fix it with no charge, however it always comes back. i have all my service repairs documented. i have taken my complaint to the ford customer service dept. and they have put me in touch with the district service manager, however, has never contacted me. i don't know what else to do. for a while my 16 year old was driving it and my concern for an accident was great. she does not drive it anymore. please advise. *la

Driving on freeway and started to slow down...moved foot off gas pedal to slow (was going about 50 mph at the time and about 65 mph before getting any brakes to work) and it kept going down and stuck on high exceleration...went to put on brakes and brake pedal would not push down, barely had any brakes. ford service said recall this morning on accelerator sticking...but brakes were my problem..i have not had any problem with brakes prior to this. at 33000 miles, granted there is wear but i had experienced none..so stuck paying for complete replacement..said they were shot and unsafe....all i can say is i was extremly fortunate to get under control and no accident. and ford should accept some of the responsibility for the brakes . *ak

While driving srs light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. consumer pressed down the horn and it failed. consumer took vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic informed consumer that this vehicle was not on recall. *ak

I purchased a 2002 ford escape in june of 2003. i noticed, driving home from the dealership, excessive noise coming from the rear brakes. my initial request for the dealer to look into this noise was met with a reply that the brakes were inspected before the vehicle was put on the lot and checked out fine. the purchase, however, was a couple months after they had done their inspection. the noise continued and gradually grew worse and a couple weeks later they agreed the brakes should be inspected again. outside of excessive brake dust build up, they indicated the brakes were fine. the noise continued and i again brought the vehicle back in. at this point, the dealership indicated there appeared to be several areas of rough edges and they indicated all brake surfaces had been sanded to remove these imperfections. this process worked for no more than 48 hours before the noice returned, but even louder. i have been dealing with this ever since and it has grown increasingly frustrating, as teh dealership subsequently advised me of the bulletin posted regarding excessive brake dust. i was told by the dealership that a solution was to be in place by q4 2003 or q1 2004. i continue to be told there is no remedy yet and i am concerned that this loud annoyance could become a problem with brake function. i drive quite a bit for my work and plan to pull a pop-up camper for a 2-week vacation this summer and i have no interest in putting myself, my family or any one else in jeopardy should there be a more significant undelying problem. *ak

Failure of passenger door to open on a 2002 ford escape xlt suv preventing passenger from being able to exit vehicle. no keylock exists and there is no way to open the door from the inside or from the outside . *ak

Excessive fron rotor wear: the dealer examined the rotors and said the wear was normal, even though the measurements he gave me show the rotors are 70% worn. he agrees that they should be completely worn out before 50,000 miles and still considers this to be normal.

The consumer was having a problem with the brakes. the brakes did not stop the vehicle when moving in reverse. the driver applied the brakes, however, the brakes did not stop the car. *jb when backing by a gas station pump, the vehicle would not stop and nearly ended out on a busy road. the brakes were pumped twice and the parking brake was applied. less than a week later when backing out of the driveway, the vehicle suddenly accelerated uphill, across a road, over into the woods. *sc jb

Driver put the vehicle into park and without warning vehicle surged forward. this caused consumer to lose control of the vehicle, and hit some objects head on inside of the garage before stopping. the driver and passenger sustained minor injuries. consumer will have the vehicle towed to the dealership.*ak the driver was in the process of placing gear from drive to park when vehicle lurched forward. upon impact, the shifter is between park and drive. *la

2002 ford escape v6. multiple problems the the automatic transmission, shuddering, and now a total failure. for the shuddering the fluid was flushed and replaced with a different type, and new codes programed. *ak haven't taken it in for the total failure yet. (tomorrow)

Recall notice for 2002 ford escape arrived a month too late. *mr the consumer sold the vehicle a month before the recall notice arrived. the vehicle began stalling prior to recall notice 04s13 or 04v-165000. prior to the recall the vehicle was taken to the dealer to alleviate the problem. the dealer suggested a gas treatment system for the fuel injection, but the stalling persisted. the consumer request compensation for the treatment, time lost and stress ford put her through with the escape. *nm

While applying the brakes consumer heard a loud noise, and vehicle vibrated uncontrollably. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove it to the dealer for inspection. mechanic determined that brake rotors needed to be replaced due to worn out parts. *ak

Consumer took vehicle to dealer' 4-5 times for the same problem. when she turned on heat or air conditioner there was a mildew smell. each time that consumer took vehicle dealer she was told to come back if the light came on. dealer could not reproduce the foul smell. also, while driving a wind came into vehicle even though the doors were closed. in addition, consumer complained about the steering wheel making noise. dealer will not look at vehicle again. however, consume complained vehicle was falling apart, and the dealers will not help.*ak

Consumer slowly pulled into the garage with foot on the brakes and stopped. she put the vehicle in park, and suddenly vehicle accelerated forward, causing it to crash into the back of the garage, damaging the refrigerator and the back of the garage, and knocking the garage 4-5 inches off the foundation. consumer was not injured but shook up. consumer and husband called the insurance company and the dealer. the insurance representative was suppose to come to the house to look at the vehicle. *ak

With no warning the automatic transmission on our escape failed completely at 44,130 miles. so far, no financial assistance has been offered by ford or the repairing dealer dispite attempts by me to get relief for the $2700 repair bill! we have had a loud noise coming from the drivetrain since about 18,000 miles and had it checked at 25,000 by our local ford dealer. the dealer insisted that it was only tire noise...which while very sceptical, we accepted with the caveat that when we eventually replaced the tires, the noise would be gone our we expected the vehicle to be repaired at no charge. since the transmission's very premature failure, we have revisited the powertrain noise as we now suspect its source may have caused the transmission failure. both front wheel bearings have been changed, the wheels and tires have been substituted and the very loud noise continues. two ford dealers have inspected the vehicle and no one yet has an idea of what the source of the noise is now! this truck is a true lemon and i think ford should be stepping up to the plate to fix and pay for this problem as well as all or most of the transmission repair!!!!

While driving 45 mph vehicle stalled. consumer was able to start vehicle and drove it home. the next day, vehicle would not start. consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic replaced the battery. driver informed the mechanic that the air bag light appeared on the dashboard and remained on after the battery was replaced. *ak

Computer controls locked down the car. the dealer said that the computer was resetting when it done this and there was nothing they could do. the windshield is separating from the car and the dealer will not cover this as a defect because my car is the only one they know of.

Out of warranty transmission failed at 49k miles. *ph the vehicle experienced a shudder since 37k miles which only occurred a couple times per month. ford failed to alert the consumer of the problem. the consumer requested reimbursement for the repair. service bulletin#16056636254 *sc

Excessive brake dust on front tires - rims are black within 3 days of cleaning - dealer reports this is 'normal'..*ak

Windshield creaks when it's raining/wet. *ak

Idiot lite for radiator lit - low on radiator fluid - vehicle had been serviced just 1 month prior with a "check and top off all fluids" oil change - why was the low fluid not detected at that time?*ak

Brake "idiot" light on dashboard lit.. out of brake fluid.. dealer stated defective brake fluid reservoir cap - replaced - questioned why it was out of fluid when the fluids were supposed to have been "checked and topped off" at last oil change 3k miles previously - (i had also reported grinding brakes noise at that oil change which i was told was just due to excessive brake dust buildup.. ) *ak

I pulled into a parking space at a drug store, stopped, and as i was putting the car in park, it surged forward over the curb and into the building. the engine then returned to idle. i put the car in reverse to back out and it surged backward but i was able to stop it quickly. it again returned to normal idle. the car has 57k miles and had no prior problems with the engine.

Battery light is coming on and staying for up to 60 to 120 seconds and then turns off. had mechanic test for error codes but no codes are being written. this has happened over and over and more so in cooler weather but is now occurring in warm temperatures. engine has stalled previously as well. 2002 ford escape xlt 2wd. *la

While driving air bag light illuminated. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak the illumination of air bag light happened in an intermittent basis. consumer was also involved in an accident where his air bags failed to deploy. in addition, consumer experienced noise in steering wheel and rattling noise in exhaust. *la

Model: 2002 ford excape xlt.engine stall without warning around 40 miles per hour. power steering and brake failed to fundtion.the latest one happened on 3/31/2004. the last one was in late 2002.*ak i purchased this vehicle from michigan (village ford at dearborn), and use it in texas currently.

Both of the front bearing have had to be replaced in my 2002 ford escape. i bought the vehicle with only 15,000 miles. it now only has 48,000 miles. i believe there is a defect in the bearings. my vehicle also tries to stall while i'm driving. i did not realize this was such a problem. i believe this should be addressed by ford.*ak

I bought a new 2002 ford escape xlt 4x4. 4 months after receiving it from the factory, it lost power and died suddenly while driving. i put the car in park and restarted it. i took the car to a ford dealership and they "reprogrammed and reset the relay switch" saying that would correct the problem. then last week, i was travelling 30 mph on a busy road when the exact same thing occurred. the engine stopped and i lost all power, including power steering. this was very dangerous as i was going around a curve and nearly went into the oncoming lanes and i was in the middle of the road just around a curve, where a car could come around the corner and not be able to stop in time before hitting me. luckily i was able to coast for a few feet and then restart the car again. i returned to the same ford dealership again and they "reprogrammed the computer again" i have had new cars before and have never had this happen or heard of this happening. i do not feel it is safe to have a car's engine just stop while driving at 30 mph on a road. i feel there is something defective with the computer that came with the vehicle and the computer needs to be recalled.*ak

While driving the (crs) light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. the driver drove the vehicle to the dealer for an inspection. the mechanic replaced a sensor in the modular. the problem still continued. *jb

My vehicle has suddenly and without warning stalled while driving. loss ofpower steering, brakes, etc. i nearly hit another vehicle as i could not control the car. this happend at speeds arount 30 mph as early as 6000 miles on the car. it has happened a few times at slow speeds or while backing out of the driveway but was not as scary as the ones that happened while travelling on a busy road at 30 mph. first time i brought the car to the dealer they updated the pcm and reset the relay switch. this was supposed to fix the problem. the stalling happened a few more times but then again at high speeds at 37000 miles. brought car to dealer again and they updated the pcm(again) and now say i need a new iac valve. they are not even sure this will correct the sudden engine stalling. i read through the hundreds of complaints on the nhtsa website and discovered this is a very common problem. there is something very wrong with the computer and needs to be replaced/recalled immediately. *ak

The brake light came on while driving. this occurred because the brake master cylinder had a slow leak that progressed. the dealership indicated the leak may be due to a bad cylinder cap. the cap was replaced. also at 100 miles the steering wheel became loose and felt like it was going to separate from it's linkage. a screw in the steering wheel had became loose and needed to be tightened. the dealership tightened the screw and put a punch mark into the side of the screw to make it stay in place but the problem recurred. *nm the master parts were not working the steering wheel was loose after 50 miles. the master cylinder had a slow leak, which worsened over time and tightening did not fix. the consumer found the back light behind the gear selector and odometer went out, the airbag light had come on, the check engine light had come on, the radio did not start, the vehicle stalled, and the seat belts were inoperative. *sc *jb

Consumer will provide detail information on the continental tires. model size and the dot# and the problems she had with the tires. *ak

Intermittent stalling problem occurs with my 2002 ford escape (v-6 engine) at speeds between 30-35 mph and always when i am going down hill and in a decelerating situation. i have a 9 mile commute on a hilly, curvy 2 lane road and during the stall i lose all power steering and braking. i have had some very close calls on curves where i could easily have lost control and gone over an embankment or hit an oncoming car. i have actually learned to become a defensive driver mechanically by keeping my eye on the rpm gauge when i decelerate because i've noticed that the rpm's sometimes drop erratically when the car is about to stall and by giving it a little gas i can avoid the stall. the car has been back to the dealer 3 or 4 times and all tsb fixes have been performed, yet the car has stalled at least 3 more times since the last fix. the dealer wanted to put a flight recorder on to help diagnose the problem, but wanted me to put a $500 deposit on the device!! why isn't ford taking this problem more seriously? from the numerous complaints i have read on this site, it's obvious that a very serious problem still exists with this car. *jb

The doors on the escape will lock themselves closed. they will not open from the inside or outside. this has happened 2 times to this car on 2 different doors. what if they locked in an emergency situation and we could not get out?*ak

Engine stalled coming out of driveway. i could not steer or use brakes. all the engine lights came on. i put the truck in park and it started back up with no problems. i am taking the truck to the dealership tomarrow. i wish i knew about the stalling complaints before i put my two children in the back seat.*ak

Two transmission failures. the transmission was replaced @ 18,118 miles and then again @ 39,933 miles.*ak

The driver applied the brakes and the pedal went to floor, the vehicle stalled and the consumer was able to restart the vehicle. the consumer will take the vehicle to the dealer for analysis . when the problem happens again. *jb

Vehicle was being driven at approximately 35 mph when it stalled and the wheels locked up. please provide any additional information. *nm

I was driving on the interstate at 65 mph and a deer came out in the road and i hit it. the car sustained engine damaged and pushed the hood up. it pushed the engine back and the air bags did not deploy. *la

For the second time, the rear window on my company-owned ford escape has shattered. the truck was parked in a garage during this second occurance, during a night when the temperatures were in the teen's. i'd blame the cold weather, but this also happened less than 6 months ago during the summer while driving at 65mph on a highway. in both cases, the shocks that hold the rear window up when open, have extended to full length, and as a result, scratched the paint on the rear tailgate. *ak

2002 ford escape only 2 years old and ford will not honor warranty because rear wipers not working and engine makes and jerk at 3k rpm, not part of warranty. *ak

My wife was coasting (traveling downhill) in our 2002 ford escape xlt (2 wheel drive) when the engine suddenly stopped. the effect was as if the key had been turned off. she lost all power (steering, brakes, etc) and coasted into a sidewalk. it could have been much worse. taking the proper precautions, she had the car towed to the nearest dealership (hayward ford - very helpful, performed the tsb work right away), where they told her of a tsb that described the appropriate steps for the mechanics to take. the supposed tsb included replacement of the following items: throttle body assembly, air charge body, mass air flow sensor, air charge sensor gasket, power relay for pcm, egr sensor, and the purge regulation valve for vapor system. i searched the nhtsa tsb site for the bulletin and couldn't find it. the number we were given was tsb 02-23-01. i noticed that an investigation into the cause of this problem by the nhtsa was closed and reopened in sep 2002. from what i have read here at the nhtsa site, i think it's time for ford to warn their escape owners of this problem before someone is injured.*ak

I own a 2002 ford escape and only one month of having it all of the lights lighted up on the dash board and the engine stop while going down an interstate ramp. the second time it happened i was in traffic going at about 10 mph when it shut off causing to rear-end the car in front of me. it's a problem that has not been fixed, i brought it to the dealer they claim that nothing is wrong with it. the dealer checked it and said it has happened to other cars, but that the problems had been fixed that it was only on the ones from 2001. the dealer also said that they couldn't award the warranty that the engine shutting off wouldn't happen again, but since april 2002 it has happen at least 5 times with 1 accident . *la

Vehicle stalled without warning. when this occurred the engine was still running, but the power steering and brakes were lost. also, vehicle failed to accelerate. *ak

Within one month of purchasing the vehicle (2002 ford escape) the vehicle experienced problems with the brakes. (see odi #10051805 for information regarding 1998 ford ranger complaint).*mr the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer three times for the same vibration problem, but the dealer continued to state there was no problem, after about a year they finally noticed that the tires were cupping on the rear, it was finally determined that the problem was due to the to the alignment of the front and rear which caused the vehicle to need new tires. also the air bag light illuminated on the dashboard. *cb *jb

When applying the brakes a loud grinding noise was heard. *ak

At times of heavy rain or wet snow the interior windows fog severely. they fog so badly that condensation will run down the inside of windows resulting in an unsafe driving condition. i have tried numerous methods of 'tweaking' the controls but can not seem to keep the windows defogged adequately. when my wife and kids are in the car the problem is worse than when i am alone. i avoid driving the car at night with them when the weather is wet because i worry about being able to see safely. i am working on trying to fix the problem but thought strongly enough about this to notifiy you here. sincerely, joel r glass

The consumer has taken the vehicle to the dealer several times because the vehicle has problems starting. the dealer mechanic has replaced the starter, relay switch, and the master cylinder. the vehicle is currently at the dealer for another repair. please provide further details. *nm

Stalling at low speed and decelerating when the engine is cold. *nlm

Steering wheel locked while vehicle was being driven at approximately 35 mph. *ak

While commuting to work at very busy intersection, traveling at 20 mph, vehicle completely stalled losing all power utilities engine completely shut down. a number of passing motorists attempted to assist in moving vehicle out of intersection but could not get vehicle out of park key would not turn as well. after a number of attempts vehicle was restarted, and driven to local ford dealership. they stated they were not aware of difficulty--after reviewing the number of complaints on this web site that is very hard to believe--dealer worked on vehicle for 1.70 hrs replacing over 13 parts,such as eec relay,dpfe,airbypassvalve,throtle body,maf,vmv,throttle body gasket per: tsb-02-11-6. recheck ok. according to this web site this situation has occured at least 50 times. this is potentially a very dangerous situation. owners of escapes should be informed as this can& has happened to others at higher rates of speeds with potentially fatal outcomes if the vehicle cannot be coasted to a shoulder...*ak

While driving at any speed, the engine was rumbling. the dealer could not duplicate or correct the problem. *ak there was uncontrollable jumping and or kicking. the dealer replaced one defective part and was told that the rumbling noise would need to be investigated by ford engineers. ford did not know what was causing the noise, but say it was not dangerous. the vehicle would shake at certain speeds and cd's would get stuck in the cd player. *sc the rotors were replaced because they were out of round, the stabilizer end links were replaced *jb

Rear windshield thermal melted the connection to defroster. dealer replaced the windshield without any charge. *ak *mr

Five months after purchasing this brand new vehicle, the master cylinder failed. *nlm

The 2002 for ecape that i have owned for 16 months has a defect in the engine that has made it unoporable and the computer system that is supposed to warn you of engine trouble never worked. *ak

While driving at 35 mph, the engine died without warning. this resulted in brake failure. the consumer had to coast the vehicle to a stop. the dealership replaced the idle error control valve, mass air flow sensor, throttle body, eec relay, dpfe sensor and the evap valve. the manufacturer has a new letter ref#02-23-1 on this issue. *ph *jb *nm

The windshield leaked water when it rained. the dealer stated that the windshield was separating from the molding, and it's not a safety defect it was normal. *ak while driving water would get inside the vehicle. *sc *jb

2002 ford escape stalls while being driven. this happened twice in the past week, speed 30 mph. loss of all power steering & brakes.*ak

Vehicle lost power without warning. also, it effected the ability to steer the vehicle.*ak dealer would honor the warranty. in the tsb that was issued, the diagnostics items were fine. ford think they need to change the items on the tsb. *ph

While driving at 45 mph consumer was involved in a head on collision. upon impact, neither of the front air bags deployed. *ak consumer's wife was traveling eastbound at 45-50 mph when another vehicle traveling in the opposite direction crossed over into her lane. the vehicles struck head on and both went down a 15' bank into a ditch. the other vehicle was a older chrysler and the air bags deployed. consumer's wife was still going to therapy for x-rays. *ph

My ford escape stalled while driving down an exit ramp. i lost all steering and braking capability. *la

Vehicle stalled and lost power while driving between 40-45 mph. vehicle has almost been rear ended 4 times. dealership made three attempts to correct the problem by updating the iac valve, and reprogramming the pcm. *ak

When the brakes were applied there was a delay before the vehicle stopped. dealer stated that vehicle needed rotors and pads replaced. *ak

The airbag light illuminated and stayed on. took vehicle to dealer, and they replaced something on the passenger side. air bag light went off, but months later it was on again. *ak

Excessive brake rotor wear: after 34,600 miles, the rotors are 70% worn according to the dimensions given by the dealer. the dealer claims this is normal even though he understands that the brakes will be worn out before 50,000 miles.*ak

Today, at approximately 11:45 am est, i was driving about 35 mph when all of a sudden i felt the steering tighten up and the brakes as well. i was unaware that my car had stalled out in the middle of the road. i coasted off of the road into a parking lot where i turned off my vehicle and restarted it. i had no problems after that. this is the second stall that has happened to my vehicle. the last one was in may 03. *la

Ford escape stalled while driving, lost control of steering and brakes at the same time!!! *la

While driving at 50 mph engine failed without warning. *ak

The windshield on my 2002 for escape xlt leaks inside every time it rains. the dealership said the windshield was separating from the car but ford will not cover it as a defect. this is a defect and should be fixed by manufacturer. filed complaints with better business bureau and will be talking to the media. *la

Between july and august of 2003 vehicle has stalled several times intermittently. the dealer kept the vehicle for one week but the problem re-occurred. please provide further information. *nlm

While driving about 45 mph, the vehicle shut down without warning. engine check light appeared on the dashboard. *ak the cause was due to defective engine controls. other problems are as followed: both rear door's body weatherstrips had come loose and were warped and the left rear quarter panel window. *scc *jb

My 2002 ford escape's tire (manufacturer continential tires) had seperated and had caused 2 other tires to wear improperly. though all recommended maintenance was performed and documenation was provided to the dealership, ford of vicksburg, i was told that "it wasn't ford's problem or responsibility". i then contacted continential tires, who advised to take the vehicle to sears, 40 miles away from the town i lived in. after taking the vehicle to sears and inspected, continential tire advised sears "they would pay for half of the seperated tire and that was it." i then spoke with the senior representative, carrie, of the tire manufacturer on the phone who advised that "the situation was ford's responsibility because they have a bumper to bumper warranty." i purchased my vehicle (new), december 2001. i conducted the recommended service as advised. i had approximately 22,000 miles in july, 2003 when the problem was discovered, which was shortly after i had an alignment performed at a ford dealership in louisiana. i did nothing to cause the problem that occured and was given "the business" of "it's not my responsibility", so it became my problem on a vehicle "supposedly" under warranty. i can't believe the run around i received from ford as well as continential tire regarding something that i had not caused or had any control of, after having the recommended service performed on my brand new vehicle. i will never own another ford vehicle and will ensure the vehicle does not have tires manufactured by continential.

The engine on my 2002 ford escape stalls unexpectedly. it stalls while shifting gears at a standstill and while driving down the road. this last condition especially is quite dangerous as there is a loss of braking and power steering. sometimes it will stall up to 5 times before getting it out of my driveway. it stalls when the engine is both cold and hot. i have had it to my ford dealer, who has even had it stall while hooked up to their computer. and still they have not solved the problem. i have had it in on 4 separate occasions since july 2003. it once stalled while my wife was driving it around a hairpin turn. fortunately no one was coming in the opposite direction. it has been stalling since before july 11, when it was first brought to the dealer for this problem. *jb

I am a consumer who has just purchased a used 2002 ford escape from a ford dealership in raleigh, north carolina. have had a number of problems with the vehicle, including stalling while driving in heavy traffic. i brought the car into the dealership less than 2 weeks ago and specifically asked them to check it due to the sluggish and stalling behavior. i insisted that they do a diagnostic test, which they said they performed, but nothing showed up. yesterday on the way to church, i had problems keeping it running after starting it. i had to maintain pressure on the gas pedal at all times.very time i got to a light or slowed for a turn, the car stalled and shut off, causing complete loss of power.*ak i called the dealership today and got very little help. they informed me that the car does not have a system to maintain record of the problem unless the vehicle has power at the time the problem occurs. they never mentioned anything else. they did say they would be glad to look at it....again. after that comment, i chose to go to your site to look for reports on the make, model and year of my vehicle. (*i researched this site to check for any problems with my vehicle, prior to my purchase but found no reports posted for recalls. today while at the site, i noticed an area called defect investigations. that was quite informative. i never saw this section prior to my purchase. i consider myself a smart person, but i missed it.) the dealership must have been aware of these type of problems at the time of the sale, but did not bring them to my attention or fill me in. even today, the service manager did not inform me of any problems with stalling in 2002 ford escapes. i do not look forward to continuing to expose myself nor my family to a safety hazard every time we get into our vehicle.

My husband and i purchased a 2002 ford escape on 07/04/02. there was a little over 500 mile on the vehicle at date of purchase. since then, we have had the suv at the dealership for repairs 6 times for problem relating to what seems to be electrical. #1 there was a short in the headlamp assembly, #2 short in the heater wiring causing an arch sound and foul odor. #3 vehicle got stuck in park, #3 & #4, vehicle was stranded with the vehicle not starting and #6 became stuck in park for the second time. *jb

2002 ford escape, 23k000miles, stalled for the first time going less than 20 miles per hour onto freeway. at first i thought it was the battery, but then the car restarted immediately. i veered off the road but am very very frightened about this happening in a circumstance where i couldn't veer off the road. does ford require a death before it will recall?*ak

2002 escape stalled twice without warning - dangerous, as you are unaware when this happens except that the steering becomes tight, difficult to steer and braking is difficult. happens while traveling at 40 mph. no lights come on in the dash to let you know - very scary.*ak

When driving at any speed the vehicle stalls. there are times when trying to start the vehicle takes at least seven minutes. this vehicle has been to the dealer three times, and is at the dealers at this time.*ak

All four tire sidewalls were thin and punctured easily. the tire will be replaced. please provide further details. *nlm

Stiff accelerator pedel. cannot make a smooth acceleration from a complete stop. the pedal doesn't seem to "give" until it's pushed too much. when it's pushed too much. there is a surge of acceleration and usually the tires just spin, whether it's raining, snowing or just plain dry out.

The vehicle stalled while driving. this happened four times and the dealer couldn't determine the problem. please provide details. *ph

The vehicle stalled. once while the vehicle was in the drive, the horn began to blow, and the lights started to blink. no one was in the vehicle or had touched the vehicle. the consumer took the vehicle to the dealership to be repaired, however they were unable to repair it because they could not duplicate the problems. *ak the vehicle also rolled away with the ignition locked, keys removed and vehicle in park. also the accelerator became stuck on four occasions. a representative from told the consumer the reason why the vehicle rolled away, was because the emergency brake had not been applied. *ph *jb

While driving 40/45 mph, the vehicle was involved in a frontal collision. none of the airbags deployed upon impact.*ak *ph *jb

2002 ford escape engine stalled while travelling about 30mph down road. oil, engine, and battery lights came on and both power steering and power brakes failed. had to leave roadway to avoid collision. put vehicle in park and it restarted without problem. currently at dealership.*ak

After 20,000 miles abs sensor light stays on intermittently. dealer notified. *ak

Consumer states that the safety system light keeps indicating that the seat belts and airbags don't work. please provide any further information. *ph

Consumer states that while driving at 35mph and with no warning vehicle will stall ,and it will be hard for the consumer to control the vehicle. dealer notified. *ak

2002 ford escape has stalled in traffic 4 times since i purchased the car new 13 months ago. all 4 times the car was gliding down a hill. i lost all steering and brakes. i have almost hit other cars while trying to stop the car.*ak this is a extremely dangerous vehicle and should be removed from the road. i am extremely disgusted with ford for not telling me of this prior to purchase or my driving the car. i checked with ford and they did have a notice out on the problem prior to purchase but did not tell me of this potentially lethal problem.

Ford escape 2002 suddenly stalled on major road while going 40 mph, was able to veer off into a side street but was scared to death. *ak

While traveling on the highway and without prior warning vehicle stalled due to a blown head gasket; 2 barrier inside of the engine. *ak

I have a 2002 ford escape. at 15,000 miles my engine blew. two weeks earlier my sister who also has a 2002 ford escape lost her engine at 35,000 miles. since then the car has been back for three rounds of repairs to the engine, the ball bearings, the power steering, and the coolant. this car is dangerous!*ak

While driving down a hill, i was braking to make a left hand turn when my 2002 ford escape xlt 4x4 stalled for no reason.*ak

Engine quit running while driving. *jb

I was pulling into a parking space at a shopping center. as i took my foot off the accelerator preparing to stop, the vehicle suddenly lunged forward, hopping the curb and continuing forward into the patio area. i applied the brakes, but the car did not stop. it hit a trash can and tables and finally crashed into a pillar. in applying the brake, i had managed to slow the vehicle down so the impact was not severe and the airbags did not deploy. i was not injured but two people lunching in the patio area received minor injuries (a scratched/swollen leg and sore elbow). the vehicle has since been repaired and the cause of accident is being investigated by the insurance company. since i am paranoid about driving the vehicle, i am planning to have a diagnostic test conducted. *ak

Engine stalls without warning. loses all power. after three complaints, dealer still cannot diagnose.*ak

Engine stalls intermittently on my ford escape v6 when decelerating.*ak

Consumer states while driving and without any indication vehicle traveled 40 mph. dealer has been contacted. *ak

Vehicle stalls at bottom of incline/decline. *ak

Engine started making a ticking sound - dealer said it has to be replaced. they also said they have replaced several others as the engine "blew" at high altitude - i bought this 2002 ford escape in colorado. the won't tell me exactly what's wrong and whether the new engine from the factory may also blow inthe future.*ak

Problems with 2002 ford escape xls would not start. *mr the consumer stated it would take three tries before the vehicle would start. the consumer was told by the dealer they could not find any technical signals. *jb

While driving down a slight hill at approximately 30 mph, the steering suddenly became sluggish, then the engine quit. the dash instrument lights (check engine, airbag, and battery) came on and the brakes did not work at all. fortunately i was near the bottom of the hill and could roll over to the side and stop up against a tree stump. the car would not restart immediately, but did after a few minutes. *jb

On two occasions, my 2002 ford escape has stalled for no apparent reason. the first time the vehicle stalled i was slowing down from approximately 45 miles an hour. the second time it happened i was exiting the interstate. both times the vehicle stalled i lost the power steering capablilites, but was able to immediately restart it. this matter needs an immediate investigation before injuries or fatalities are reported. i had heard numberous complaints being filed with the nhtsa about this problem, and i have contacted ford about the problem only to be told ford is not aware of any problems. *ak

Consumer states that while driving at any speed and with no warning the vehicle will shut off, causing consumer to pull over, and it will be hard to get the vehicle back started.dealer notified.*ak

The engine will stall while driving at speed. no warning occurs prior to the stall. the vehicle will restart immediately after it is placed in park. *nlm

My 2002 ford escape stalled while slowing down and going down a hill. i pulled to the side of the road and was able to restart the vehicle. of course there was limited breaking and the steering got very stiff. luckily no other cars were around or there could have been an accident.

2002 escape xlt stalled at 40 mph. loss of brakes and steering. very scary - fortunately i was not in major traffic. took to ford dealership -bulletin found on it and "repair" made. *ak

When consumer's vehicle was hit in the front center of vehicle air bags did not deploy, causing minor injuries to consumer. dealer notified. *ak

Complete engine seizure at 17,000 miles. number 2 and 5 cylinders are destroyed. we changed the oil every 5,000 miles and ford is fighting us on replacing the engine. after searching nhtsa, i come to realize we are not along. burt ford arapahoe had been helpful, providing a rental car for free; however, they have not been forth coming on how many escapes have had similar problems. *ak

Vehicle stalled while coasting down a gentle hill at 40mph- difficult to steer and had to use emergency brake to avoid crashing myself and my infant into car infront of me.*ak

My 2002 ford escape xlt stalled while i was driving it at 35 miles an hour. all power stopped. the engine light, oil light, and battery light all came on. i had my escape towed to the local ford dealer and they examined it today. they said that they did not find anything wrong with it and that they would not be able to fix it unless it stalled while they were driving it. *nlm